Sunset Blood

Hopeful: Part 1

I feel the warmth of the sun on my face as I step out of the minivan and breathe in a deep breath. The salty ocean air fills my lungs, and I close my eyes. My toes sink into the sand beneath my feet, and I can smell the warm salt water on my skin. Briny breeze rustles my hair, and I take a step forward onto the soft sand. I can hear the sound of the waves crashing onto the beach, far away beyond the jagged rocks. Seagulls caw in a chorus above me, and a cloud drifts by in front of the sun. And maybe someday I'll even explore those crashing waves and salty sea air with someone special by my side. The sky is blue, without a trace of white, unlike any sky I've ever seen before. It's mesmerizing. I close my eyes and take another deep breath, then smile to myself.

Despite my nerves, I feel a sense of hope and excitement as I head into my new school. I'm ready to take on the challenges that await me, and I know that with a little bit of confidence and determination, nothing can hold me back. This is just the beginning - a new chapter of my life unfolding before me. And I am ready to embrace it with open arms.

As I walk through the front doors of the school, I can feel the eyes of the other students on me. It's a strange feeling, but one that I'm quickly getting used to. I keep my head up and scan the room for my first class. The bell rings and everyone begins to disperse. I don't know where I'm supposed to go, so I just stand there awkwardly, looking around. Suddenly, someone taps me on the shoulder from behind.

I turn around and lay my eyes on the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. Her hair is black, woven in an intricate braid and tied with a leather lace. Her lips aren't thin, but they aren't thick. They're full, plump and inviting. She has a dusty brown colored skin tone that's as smooth as silk with a fresh sheen, and her hair is as black as a moonless night but it shines shines like the sun, like an oil-slicked sword with a gleam of light that could cut the mountains in half with a single strike. Most of all, her eyes, like glares of light, spelled kindness with their long lashes and flecks of green amongst the brown.

"You must be new here," she says. "I'm guessing you're looking for your first class?"

I nod, relief washing over me. Finally, someone who can help me out. She looks at my schedule while I am still frozen.

"It's this way," she continues, pointing down the hall. "I'll walk with you. It's my class as well."We begin walking down the hallway, and she points out some of the classrooms as we go by. We make small talk along the way, and before long, we reach my first class. Just as we're about to go in, she turns to me and say:

"Welcome to your new school. My name is Alhem. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to come find me."

With that, she flashes a friendly smile and disappear in the classroom. I watch her go for a moment before taking a deep breath and heading into my first class of the day. So far, so good.The class is small, with only about a dozen students. I find a seat near the back and Alhem comes and sits next to me. She introduces me to the others and helps me get settled in. The teacher begins speaking, but I sometimes has trouble understand what he's saying. My Arabic is rusty and it was never quite fluent. Luckily, Alhem is there to translate for me. She whispers explanations in my ear throughout the class. I'm grateful to have her by my side, because without her help, I would be completely lost. By the end of the morning, I'm exhausted but happy.

"Let me buy you lunch," Alhem says as we walk out of our class. "My treat."