It was Novi, Michigan. We had just moved there recently, only a couple weeks before I started the first grade. I had made my first childhood friends in Oklahoma and was tragically ripped away from them after only three years together. I was going to be the new girl at Novi Woods Elementary School. Having gone to a daycare where most of my peers attended the same school as I did, I was constantly surrounded by friends. But here in Michigan, hundreds of miles away from Tulsa, I would be alone. The first day of class came. I woke up that morning, dreading the school day. I would have no friends, I would be in a foreign environment, and worst of all…I’d be without my mommy. It was like a flip of a switch; I had gone from independent kindergartener to shy and soft-spoken first grader. It was terrifying, to say the least. It was a gloomy August day and a perfect environment for the anxiety I was feeling. My mom buckled me into the backseat of our red Honda CRV, smiling. “You’re going …show more content…
Mr. Kenrick’s smile grew. “It’s her very first day here at the school.” “Well, Cassie,” Mr. Kenrick said, crouching down to reach my height. “I’m sure you’re going to have a fantastic time with us here at Novi Woods.” Sensing I was shy, Mr. Kenrick directed my mom to where my seat was going to be. It was at a cluster of desks in the center of the room. I had the one facing the door. On the right hand corner was a name tag which stated “Cassie” in big, bold black letters. My mom took off my backpack, setting it behind my tiny chair. I knew she was leaving soon. That’s when the waterworks started. Big globs of tears streamed down my turning-redder-by-the-second face as my chest constricted and little wails came from my mouth. My mom frowned, hating to see me upset, and pulled me into her to hug me. She kept half-laughing, half-sighing, repeating, “Oh, baby, it’s okay. You’ll see me later today, I promise. It’s okay. Stop crying, baby. You’ll be