MUD - An LGBT+ Story

Year 7 - From Oldest To Youngest

The first year at Senior School is the one I'd call mixed, mixed emotions, glad you've left Junior School yet apprehensive of the new environment, mixed because you're going from the oldest students back to the youngest and knowing the teachers to knowing nobody. Only one other student made the transition from the same Junior School to the same Senior School as me, John, you would think knowing somebody would be a good thing, well it wasn't! For the next 5 years we would hate each other, however for the first day I was grateful that there was someone I recognised at least.

The first day dawned and thankfully Dad took me in the car, I was glad as the nerves and stress of the situation would have been too overwhelming especially having to deal with catching the school bus. My shoes were shiny, tie straight and bag full of everything that would be needed for the first day, or so I thought. There was not much talk in the car Dad tried to make a few conversational points but my responses stretched to nothing more than yeah, no or maybe as we weaved our way around the narrow streets of where we lived, the journey felt an eternity although it was more like 15 minutes. For Junior School I could just walk therefore needing to go by car or bus was a new concept to handle, most of the journey I just looked out of the windows of the car as the rain bounced on the windscreen and the wipers were working furiously to give us a clear view, then appearing through the gloom was the outline of the school, it was a tall slim building consisting mostly of windows which was 3 floors high and looked like an oblong as we gradually got nearer, there were additional smaller buildings at the back of the main building which went onto a concrete playing area for tennis or hockey and further back a huge sports field, well it felt huge to a 12 year old, the field consisted of multiple rugby and football pitches, the whole area was surrounded by fencing and the far end was edged by tall trees. Dad stopped the car outside the main entrance "here we are, just go in there and you won't be in the rain too long, have a good day and I will meet you when finished" the reassuring tone of Dads voice was comforting and faced that feeling of not wanting to do something but knowing I had no choice, before braving the new world I looked over to Dad and replied "meet you at 3:15 thanks for the lift" readied my bag, opened the door and rushed into the building.

Stepping through the doors felt like a tidal wave of hustle, bustle, noise and movement as lots of school kids were moving about with the excitement of seeing their friends again after summer break or knowing this will be their last year in school or some just starting like me for the first day, everyone had different reasons for the nerves and excitement whilst buzzing through the corridors. Thankfully there were a set of tables arranged to greet new Year 7 students as you walked in and I nervously approached, told them my name and was given directions to the welcome classroom and also advised to follow the arrows. Eventually found the classroom where I was designated to go without too much stress and went in, the room was fairly busy already and there were lots of excited chatter from the other students, their uniforms neat and pristine like mine, a give-away sign that these were all Year 7. The tables were set out in twos, I chose an empty table near the front, and glancing at the clock on the wall it was five past nine and no sign of John as I hurriedly looked around the room wondering who I'd be friends with and who I wouldn't, this look around showed me a lot of the students had already formed groups as if they already knew each other as if they have known each other for years already. Nobody had the courage to sit next to me and just before classes started at 9:15 John entered the room, slightly taller than me not too thin or too fat and jet black hair, I called him over in a relieved yet still anxious voice, he said nothing and looked in a foul mood as he sat next to me.

As the clock ticked to 9:15 precisely the teacher walked in, she was tall, thin, glasses and frizzy hair and the mummer of excitable chatter quietened until nobody was talking, it was as if someone had reduced the volume slowly yet steadily. "Welcome Year 7! I am Miss Stone" said in an authoritative manner "some of you will have Maths with me this year depending on which form you are in" Miss Stone continued by saying the times for break and lunch and a few more formalities whilst she was logging into the computer and turning the screen on to reveal a list of everyones name, their form and room number. "Please find your name from the list, this will be your form for the rest of the year and where you are to go before classes each morning" as Miss Stone was saying this I had already found my name and I'll be in the form 7H, John was in the same form as me. "Okay when you have done this QUICKLY AND QUIETLY make your way to your form room! There are signs around the building pointing you in the right direction" The rustle of bags and moving of chairs broke the control of Miss Stone's voice. Everyone soon created groups as we walked in different directions to the form room, some stayed seated as they had Miss Stone as a form teacher. My form class was on the third floor of the main building its main use was as an English classroom and there are various Shakespeare anecdotes round the wall. The teacher was already in the room waiting for us, she was small, fairly old with grey hair made into a ponytail with a round red face and glasses "come in, come IN, sit down, did we lose anyone on the way?" She said in a friendly blustery way "choose your seat, bags on the floor as quick as you can" The back couple of rows were already taken and again the tables were arranged two to a desk so I just followed John who chose as far back as possible in the centre and sat next to him. Behind us were two boys who looked like good friends from Junior School who in turn were friends with the boys sat behind them. In front of us where two boys who were quiet and glancing around it was clear the classroom had subconsciously divided into boys and girls like similar poles repelling on a magnet "Oh lets mix the class up a bit this won't do" sounded an exasperated teacher and started to move a couple of tables around to blur the divide between the boy and girls, everyone sitting near me stayed in the same seats. After I had scanned the room, evaluated the environment and formed my first impressions of everyone which would subconsciously last the next five years, noticed the screen at the front of the room and my heart stopped.