My first class was social studies in room 106, so, with my book tight against my chest, away I went. Thoughts clouded my mind so much that I could barely see straight, but I got to the classroom without being noticed.

 When I walked into the classroom, there were four or five people already there, books stacked neatly on the corner of their desks. One girl with bright orange hair smiled at me. I smiled back, but when I looked into her huge green eyes, I could tell she was just being polite, and she was probably silently judging me.

I grabbed a seat all the way in the back, the one farthest away from the teacher's desk. I squinted to see the board and could just barely make out the words that were written in purple dry erase marker. Welcome, class!  it read. Please take your seats anywhere in the classroom. Cool, it seemed like there were no assigned seats. 

More people filed into the classroom, choosing desks all the way up front. A gang of boys walked in the door and took seats all in the back. I heard one whisper to their friend, "look, a newbie." He gestured to me,  and I pretended to have been looking at my feet the entire time. Oh, god.

The bell rang and the teacher wasn't there, so, naturally, everyone was bouncing off the freaking ceiling. We heard footsteps outside and everyone scrambled into their seats.

A middle aged woman with a golden sword in her hand leaped through the doorway. "Good morning, class!" She exclaimed. "Welcome to social studies! I'm Mrs. Bentley." People were mumbling already. What's with the sword? What the heck? My dog's name is Bentley.

She grinned. "We're going to learn a lot this year, class! But first, let's see how much you already know!" She raised her sword. "Our first lesson- Ancient Egypt! What did the country of Egypt depend on?"

"The Nile!" Someone called out.

"Food!" Another one yelled.

"I heard the Nile! Correct," Mrs. Bentley said, applauding. "Next, India. What made India unknown to any other location?

"The Himalayan mountains!"

"The Indian Ocean!"

"Food!"

"I heard two correct answers!" Mrs Bentley said excitedly. "Next, I need a volunteer for our next subject, Greece! Who will come up and write the names, parents, and the roman name of some gods and goddesses on the board?"

I knew a ton about Greek Mythology, but no way in hell was I getting up there.

"ELAINE WANTS TO!!" A voice roared. Crap.

Next to me, kids snickered and high fived each other. 

"Elaine! Come on up! I challenge you!" Mrs. Bentley smiled. So, with my legs shaking uncontrollably, I went up to the board, grabbed a black marker, and started scribbling down facts. On my left, Mrs. Bentley did the same with a green marker. "This is a race, Elaine!"

I wrote faster.

Zeus, Kronos and Rhea, Jupiter; Poseidon, Kronos and Rhea, Neptune; Hades, Kronos and Rhea, Pluto; Hera, Kronos and Rhea, Juno; Demeter, Kronos and Rhea, Ceres

I wrote all twelve Olympians (and Hades) on the board. I looked over at Mrs. Bentley, who had only put twelve gods and goddesses on the board. She wrote down Aphrodite for her final one, then looked over at me. She looked super surprised, as if I just told her she was an Olympian.

She went over to me and raised my hand in the air. "We have a winner!" The entire class cheered, except for the boys in the back. Pride swelled through me, and I walked back to my seat. 

I liked social studies so far!