TheFirstDayofMiddleSchool 　　Mystomachtiedinknots,andIcouldfeelthesweatsoakingthroughmyT-shirt.My 　　handswereclammyasIspunthefaceofmycombinationlock.Itriedandtriedtorememberthenumbers,andeverytimeIthoughtIhadit,thelockwouldn'topen.Aroundandaroundwentthenumbers,left,right,right,left...whichwaywasitsupposedtogo?Icouldn'tmakeitwork.Igaveupandstartedtorundownthehallway.AsIran,thehallseemedtogetlongerandlonger...thedoorItryingtoreachwasfartherawaythanwhenIhadstarted.Ibegantosweatevenworse,thenIcouldfeelthetearsforming.Iwaslate,late,lateformyfirstclassonmyfirstdayofmiddleschool.AsIran,peoplewerewatchingmeandtheywerelaughing...laughing...laughing...thenthebellrang!Inmydream,itwastheschoolbell.ButasIsatupinbed,Irealizedthatitwasmyalarmclockjarringmeawake.Iwashavingthedreamagain.Istartedhavingthedreamaroundtheendofthesixthgrade,andasthestartofseventhgradegrewcloser,themoreIhadthedream.Thistimethedreamwasevenmorereal,becausetodaywasthefirstdayofseventhgrade.Inmyheart,IknewIneverwouldmakeit.Everythingwastoodifferent.School,friends-evenmyownbody.Iwasusedtowalkingtoschool,andnowIhadtowalksixblockstothebusstopsothatIcouldtakethebustoandfromschool.Ihatedbuses.Theymademecarsickfromthejigglingandthesmellofthefuel.Ihadtogetupforschoolearlierthaninthepast,partlybecauseofhavingtobebussedtoschoolandpartlybecauseIhadtotakebettercareofmyselfnowthatIwasinmypreteenyears.MymomtoldmeIwouldhavetoshowereverymorningsincemyhormoneswerekickingin-that'swhyIperspiredsoeasily.Iwastotallyuncomfortablewithmybody.Myfeetdidn'twanttorespondtomyowndirections,andItrippedalot.Iconstantlyhadasprainedankle,wetarmpitsandthingsstuckinmybraces.Ifeltawkward,smelly,insecureandlikeIhadbadbreathonafull-timebasis.Inmiddleschool,Iwouldhavetolearntherulesandpersonalitiesofsixdifferentteachersinsteadofjustone.Therewouldbedifferentkidsinallmyclasses,kidsIdidn'tevenknow.Ihadnevermadefriendsveryeasily,andnowIwouldhavetostartalloveragain.Iwouldhavetoruntomylockerbetweenclasses,rememberingmycombination,openit,putinthebooksfromthelastclassandtakeoutdifferentbooks...andmakeittothenextclassallwithinfiveminutes!Iwasalsoscaredbecause 　　ofsomestoriesIhadheardaboutthefirstdayofmiddleschool,likebeingcannedbytheeighth-graders.That'swhenabunchofeighth-graderspickyouupandputyouinatrashcan.Ihadalsoheardthatwheneighth-gradegirlscatchanewseventh-graderinthegirls'bathroomalone,theysmearherwithlipstick.Neitheroneofthesefirst-dayactivitiessoundedlikesomethingIwantedtotakepartin.Noonehadevertoldmethatgrowingupwasgoingtobesohard,soscary,sounwelcome,so...unexpected.Iwastheoldestkidinmyfamily-infact,inmyentireneighborhood-andnoonehadbeentherebeforeme,tohelpleadmethroughthechallengesofmiddleschool