In My Heart (Sanders Sides AU)

Chapter four - Science

Me and Roman eventually make our way into the classroom from the crowd of busy students. A few students are in groups chatting at lab desks that are polished to perfection. Around the room are different types of viles, test tubes, and beakers of all different shapes and sizes. My dad had always loved science, and school in general. He wanted to become a teacher but there were no good jobs, so he just works in a cubicle. At least it pays good.
Suddenly, a small teacher, smaller than me, walks up to me and Roman. She has white and grey hair in a messy bun, a green dress, black glasses, and pretty blue eyes. She doesn't have any wrinkles, ANYWHERE, which does surprise me.
"Hello students, feel free to take a seat anywhere you'd like. Once everyone gets in here we are going to start." She smiles to us. I try and avoid eye contact as Roman smiles back to her. We walk past her and sit at desks near the back, but not all the way at the back, in the middle. I pull my stuff closer to me and lay my head on the pile of stuff. My anxiety starts kicking in as I realize we're in the middle of everybody. I've had super bad anxiety when I first started elementary school. I'd have panic attacks during class, I'd start just getting nervous about what people think of me, and I didn't really have any friends to help me with it. But ever since I've gotten older, I feel it's been getting worse. But putting that aside, I nervously look around the classroom to see nobody looking at me, except for Roman. He looks at me with a concerned look.
"You ok?" He asks.
"U-uh, y-yeah." I stutter. My breathing starts to quicken, but Roman puts his hand on my shoulder and I calm down a little.
"Are you just nervous?" He asks me.
"S-sure..." I mumble, loud enough for him to hear. He looks at me for a minute, then nods when he finally gets the memo.
"Social anxiety?" He asks, whispering to me. I nod.
The teacher walks to the front of the class and starts writing her name on the whiteboard. Once more students see, the class starts to settle down.
"Alright class, I'm Mrs. Williams, and I'm going to be your science teacher. So in this class, it's probably going to be different from the others. This class is going to be filled with lots of experiments, activities, and positivity. So our first activity, is going to be us taking turns and introducing ourselves!" She explains. I groan and bang my head on my stuff. Roman just laughs.
"What did I just say to have in this classroom? Didn't I say, positivity? Be more positive." She says to me.
I sigh. "Fine, I'm positive that I don't like introductions and people". The whole class starts laughing and Roman just gives me a dirty look.  "What? I can't have fun?" I smirk at him.
"Ok class, settle down. I'll go first to give an example of what we are supposed to do. Ahem. I'm Mrs. Williams and I like science, art, and Harry Potter. I've been working at this school for 10 years and enjoy working with kids. Any questions?"
I raise my hand. "Yes?"
"What house are you in?" I ask.
"Oh, thanks for asking. I am a Gryffindor." She replies. "Any other questions?" The whole room is silent. "Ok then, who's next?" A bunch of people raise their hands, including Roman, but my hand stays down.
"How about you?" She points to me. I start sweating. Me? I don't want to be put on the spot! I lower my head into my arms so no one can see me.
"im virgil." I mumble quietly.
"Honey, can you speak up? How about you stand so everyone can hear you?" She asks. My breathing stops and I look at Roman who gives me an encouraging look.
"C'mon!" He whispers, and pushes me almost out of my seat. I almost fall over but I stand up and my face turns red. My hands are shaking and I start fidgeting with my jacket sleeves.
"Now can you repeat what you said?" She asks again.
"I-I-I'm V-V-Virgil...." I stutter as I look amongst the staring faces and start shaking more. "I- um- that's it." I say before plopping back into my seat.
"Is there anything you like?" One student asks.
"no" I reply, mumbling back into my sleeve.
"Do you pretend to be emo or are you actually?"
"I-I don't know..."
"Are you dating that guy next to you?"
"Wh-What?! N-No he's j-just my friend!!!" I blush furiously. I look at Roman and his face is red too.
"OK OK, THAT'S ENOUGH! Those are some, pretty personal questions. Let's move right along!" She shouts.
As we continue on class, my face won't stop being red as the teacher calls on random people. Once Roman gets called on, I kind of smile, but I stop when he sits back down.

Being a teenager sucks.