First Day Back
959 Words
If you've ever had a day you couldn't stop dreaming about...
You know how impossible it is to sleep the night before.
I woke up three times.
The first time, it was just after midnight.
The second, around two.
By five-thirty, I gave up pretending I was going back to sleep.
I stared at the ceiling, smiling like an i***t.
Today.
I was finally going back.
Not to another school.
Not to another town where everyone already had their own friends.
Not to another place where I'd have to memorize new hallways, new teachers, and new faces.
I was going home.
Again.
I climbed out of bed and walked to the window.
Blackridge was just waking up.
The neighborhood looked peaceful.
A newspaper landed on Mrs. Nolan's porch with a dull thud.
Somewhere down the street, a lawn sprinkler clicked back and forth.
A golden retriever chased a squirrel with far more confidence than success.
Everything looked...
Normal.
I rested my forehead against the cool glass.
"I missed you."
A knock came from my bedroom door.
"You awake?"
Dad.
"Come in."
He pushed the door open, already dressed for work, a mug of coffee in one hand.
"I figured you'd still be asleep."
"I don't think I've slept."
"I had a feeling."
He smiled.
"Nervous?"
"Excited."
"There's a difference?"
"Absolutely."
He laughed.
"I remember your first day of kindergarten."
"Oh no."
"You cried because another little girl sat in the seat you wanted."
"I was four."
"You informed her she was violating your assigned territory."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
I groaned.
"Please don't tell anyone that story."
"Oh, I'm saving it for your wedding."
"There isn't going to be a wedding if you keep embarrassing me."
"We'll see."
He ruffled my hair before disappearing back into the hallway.
"Breakfast in fifteen."
"Be right down."
As soon as the door closed, I walked over to my closet.
Then froze.
"What am I supposed to wear?"
It suddenly felt like the most important decision in the world.
Too casual?
Too formal?
Too much?
Too little?
I laughed at myself.
"They're your friends, Sloane."
"They've seen you in pajamas."
Still...
I wanted today to be perfect.
I finally settled on a cream-colored sweater tucked into light blue jeans.
Simple.
Comfortable.
Familiar.
When I looked in the mirror, I almost recognized the girl staring back at me.
Almost.
The years of moving had changed me more than I realized.
I looked older.
More confident.
But my smile...
That was still the same.
I reached for my necklace.
Then stopped.
No.
Instead, I opened the small wooden jewelry box sitting on my dresser.
Right on top...
Was the silver bracelet.
The tiny star charm caught the morning sunlight.
I hadn't taken it off since Celeste tied it around my wrist years ago.
"You better still have yours."
I fastened it carefully.
For some reason...
That little bracelet made today feel real.
Downstairs, the smell of pancakes drifted through the house.
I followed it into the kitchen.
Dad stood at the stove wearing one of those ridiculous aprons that said:
Kiss the Cook.
"I refuse."
He glanced over.
"Good morning to you too."
"I'm just saying."
"The apron is a crime."
"It's classy."
"It should be illegal."
He pointed the spatula at me.
"You wound me."
"I'll recover."
Breakfast was exactly what I needed.
Pancakes.
Scrambled eggs.
Orange juice.
Dad always cooked too much whenever he was worried.
He'd never admit that was why.
"So."
He slid a plate toward me.
"Big day."
"The biggest."
"You remember where everything is?"
"I could probably walk through that school blindfolded."
"You haven't been there in years."
"I'll figure it out."
He nodded.
Then grew strangely quiet.
"If..."
He stopped.
"If what?"
"If anything feels different..."
I looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"I just mean..."
He searched for the right words.
"People change."
I smiled.
"Not that much."
He looked at me for a long moment.
Then forced a smile.
"I hope you're right."
There it was again.
That strange look.
The one he'd had yesterday.
Like there was something he wanted to tell me...
But couldn't.
I pushed the thought aside.
He was just worried.
Parents always worried.
Especially after moving so much.
I checked the time.
7:18.
"We should go."
Dad grabbed his keys from the counter.
"You ready?"
I looked around the kitchen one last time.
Then smiled.
More ready than I'd ever been.
As we pulled into the school parking lot, my heart began beating faster.
Blackridge High looked exactly the way it had in my memories.
The red brick buildings.
The football field stretching beyond the main entrance.
Students laughing in small groups.
Lockers slamming.
Teachers directing traffic.
It all felt wonderfully familiar.
Dad parked the truck but didn't unlock the doors right away.
Instead, he looked at me.
"I love you, Bug."
I smiled.
"I love you too."
"No matter what happens today..."
He hesitated.
"You come straight to me. Okay?"
I laughed softly.
"Dad."
"I'm serious."
"I know."
"I mean it."
"I'll be fine."
I truly believed those words.
I opened the truck door, stepped out into the crisp morning air, adjusted the strap of my backpack, and looked at the front entrance.
Hundreds of students moved in and out of the building.
Some laughing.
Some running late.
Some glued to their phones.
It looked exactly like every first day I'd ever imagined.
I took one deep breath.
Smiled.
And started walking toward the people I still believed had been waiting for me.
I didn't notice the conversations around me slowly coming to a stop.
I didn't notice the phones being lowered.
Or the whispers beginning to spread through the crowd.
Not yet.
All I noticed...
Was home.
- Writer
