Terra kindly led me to all my classes that morning, even the ones we didn't share. I was grateful for her help. Even though it was a small school, it was still an adjustment. Not to mention, all the eyes on me. I was likely the only new student that year and I stuck out like a sore thumb.

As the bell for lunch chimed and I walked out of my Biology class, I found Terra already waiting.

"Wanna eat in the cafeteria?" She asked.

"Actually," I pulled out a paper from the stack I was given by the secretary, "I was thinking I might look for the tutoring centre."

"Oh!" Terra exclaimed excitedly, "Yeah, I can take you there." We began to walk and Terra continued to talk. "You know if you need help with anything I can help you. I work as a tutor."

"I wanted to volunteer," I told her.

"Even better!" Terra's smile grew, "Maybe we can get the same schedule."

We stopped outside a large window. I looked in to see circular tables with chairs all around them. There were three teacher-style desks, with only one of them filled. Everyone else in the room were students.

"That's Mr. Foley." Terra pointed. I watched as he scratched his beard. His dark hair only made his already pale-coloured skin paler. "He's the one you'll want to talk to," Terra informed me.

"Thanks." I smiled at Terra, "No problem."

"Meet at our lockers in fifteen?" I asked.

Terra nodded, then turned on her heel and disappeared down the hallway into and into the herd of students heading for lunch.

I looked in the classroom again.

"You're so smart."

I closed my eyes and shook my head, willing his voice out.

"Tutoring would look great on your college application."

I felt my chest tightening. My breathing was becoming more rapid with each passing second. I pinched my eyes tighter as I tried to calm myself.

Stop.

Stop.

Stop!

"Are you okay?" I looked up to see Andrew.

"I'm fine," I answered quickly.

He gave me a doubtful look.

"Okay." He replied.

"I have to," I pointed towards the door of the tutoring centre, "Go."

He shrugged, "Okay."

As I turned back towards the door I needed to walk through, it dawned on me that this was the end of the hallway. Andrew had to have come from the tutoring centre.

Odd. I thought to myself. I didn't see him there.

Then again, I wasn't exactly looking. I shook my head and walked into the classroom.

After lunch was History; my least favourite class. Luckily, Terra also had history, so at least I wasn't alone.

As we settled into our seats, I looked up just in time to see Andrew stride in. He walked with confidence over to the far side of the classroom and took a seat next to the row of windows that overlooked the soccer field. He bumped fists with a couple of his fellow teammates as they joked and laughed. Shortly after that, to my surprise, Mr. Foley walked in. He did a double-take when he saw me, then walked down the line towards me. He pulled out a sheet of paper and placed it on my desk.

"Aurora," He smiled kindly at me.

"Rori," I corrected him without thinking.

Instantly I felt my cheeks redden.

Mr. Foley nodded, "Rori." He cleared his throat, "I noticed you missed circling which subjects you'd like to tutor."

"Oh." I clicked my pen and circled English and Math.

Mr. Foley looked at the paper, "Not history?"

My flush deepened, "It's not my favourite."

"Maybe I can change your mind on that." Mr. Foley said. He then called out loudly, "Alright class, in your seats!"

Everyone began to move to their desks and sit down.

"Welcome to History 12. Most of you know me as Mr. Foley." He was now at the front of the classroom facing all of us.

"Coach!" One of the boys yelled out.

Loud whooping filled the air. Terra sighed and shook her head. I shrugged.

"Alright, settle down." Mr. Foley gestured with his hands to bring the noise down, "Save that for the field. Let's start with an exercise." He rubbed his hands together as he looked at all of us, "I want you all to line up according to your birthday starting with January here," he pointed to the door, "And ending with December here." He pointed to where his desk was.

The class began to murmur. Some scoffed at the simplicity of his request.

"There's a catch though." He held up his index finger. "You can't talk. You have to figure out how to tell each other your birthday without talking."

As we all stood up there were a few scattered voices.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Mr. Foley waved his index finger in a scolding manner, "No talking."

I headed straight for the door knowing that I was likely to have the very first birthday. In my tunnel vision, I didn't notice someone headed for my spot and I bumped right into...

"Andrew!" I rubbed my arm where I had collided with him.

"No talking," Mr. Foley repeated his instructions.

Andrew looked down at me and put up both his index fingers to me. I felt my lips turning up a bit and I did the same gesture. His eyes widened when he realized what I trying to convey. He stepped to the side offering a spot next to him and I took it.

Once everyone was lined up Mr. Foley asked us to go down the line and say our birthdays.

"January first," Andrew announced then looked at me.

"January first."

Mr. Foley's brows raised.

"Ah, same birthday." He acknowledged, "Alright, let's keep this going."

The dates continued down the line. Some were incorrect and had to be adjusted. In the end, we were all lined up from oldest to youngest.

Mr. Foley walked from the end of the line toward Andrew and me, turning each student to face another. I found myself facing a pale acne-inflicted classmate who looked incredibly uncomfortable.

"Introduce yourselves." Mr. Foley instructed.

"Chris." He spoke quietly.

"Rori. I'm new."

He gave a small smile, maybe comforted by the fact I didn't know him. I couldn't be sure, but his timidness made me think that he might not be the most popular guy in school.

"Now turn in the opposite direction

We repeated the same action only turning our heads the other way. Again, he instructed that we introduce ourselves.

Andrew gave me a coy smile then took my hand and shook it, "Andrew Weiczenkowski."

I felt my heartbeat quicken and blood rush to my ears as I looked down at our connected hands.

"I- I..."

His eyes sparkled as he looked down at me and I swallowed.

"You might be the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

I ripped my hand away from Andrew's and flew out of the classroom. I looked around desperately for a bathroom, but when I couldn't locate one I vomited into a nearby garbage can.

I felt a hand on my back and someone pulling my hair from my face.

"Can I take you to the nurse's office?"

It was Terra. I instantly felt more relaxed knowing who it wasn't.

"All I wanted was to be invisible this year."

I looked over to see some of the football team looking at me and whispering.

"Might be hard now."

I straightened myself up.

"I'll be okay. I don't need the nurse." I answered her original question.

I looked in the direction of the classroom and sighed knowing that I had to go back. I took a deep breath and alongside Terra made my way back into the room I had just fled.

As soon as we stepped into the room, all eyes were on us. Some people snickered or pressed their lips together in an attempt to suppress laughter. Others looked at me sympathetically. My eyes landed on Andrew, and he was the only expression that seemed different, almost concerned. I quickly averted my eyes and walked to the seats Terra and I had chosen at the beginning of class.

"Everything alright?" Mr. Foley asked.

I nodded my head quickly.

"Let's continue the lesson then."

Mr. Foley clapped his hands together and then began the class.

I slowly sunk into my seat. Any chance of existing as a nameless ghost that once haunted the halls of Cherrygrove High was now gone. There would now be whispers of me in the hallway.

My secret wouldn't be safe for long.

"How was school?"

My mom practically came flying out of the kitchen into the small hallway when I walked through the front door.

My mother's face was hopeful. I knew she wanted to hear that I had a fantastic day. That I was happy in my new school and thriving in ways I hadn't been in months. It was a surprising change from how she would've reacted.

"It was school." I shrugged. I pondered how to say my next words knowing how they would've been received in the past, "I made a new friend."

To my surprise, her eyes lit up. "Oh?"

Again, this felt weird. Every interaction with her today felt different than the usual. I knew it was because of... what happened. I wanted to call her out again, but I knew it wouldn't end well.

"Yeah, her name is Terra."

"Well, you'll have to invite her over sometime."

Her tone was an offer of kindness, but I felt the desperation behind it. I couldn't tell if it was desperation for me to find some sort of normalcy, or desperation to keep herself from slipping back into the mom she was before.

I smiled at Mom, then made a move towards the stairs.

"Tea!"

"Huh?" I looked over the railing at her.

"Come have tea with me?"

I looked longingly up the stairs, wishing solely to escape into the serenity of my room where I could replay my embarrassing moment over and over. After all, it was the only thing at the moment my brain could think about.

Of course, how could I say no to her? Growing up, saying no meant punishment. Of course, in the past few months, I had seen another side of her. A side I normally only saw when I had some kind of success. I dropped my backpack on the first step and followed her into the kitchen.

It was obvious that she had been planning our tea before she asked. She already had the antique tea set Lao Lao had given her and my dad for their twentieth wedding anniversary.

She handed me one of the bronze-coloured ceramic cups. I watched as she poured hot water from the kettle into the tea wash.

"There's something so soothing about making tea this way." She commented with a smile as she placed the kettle back onto the stove.

I gave her a small smile.

She turned the handle on the tea wash and the steaming liquid poured down into the pitcher which looked like a gravy boat to me.

Mom walked over and poured tea into my cup, followed by a splash of milk. It was one of those motherly things, knowing just how your children like their food and drink. Even I often poured too much or too little milk for my liking. Mom always got it just right.

She sat down with her tea and took a sip. Her shoulders raised and relaxed as she swallowed; it was her first sip habit.

Her eyes landed on me, "So tell me more about your first day at school."

"Oh." I felt my eyes widen as I tried to quickly think of what I could tell her that would be satisfying, "I decided to be a tutor."

"Good!"

I chuckled. "You're excited?"

I put my cup to my lips.

"It'll be good for your college application." Of course.

I nodded my head taking another sip of tea. My mom tilted her head and looked at me, her deep brown eyes asking the question she wouldn't voice.

"I really don't have much to say about the day Mom." I tried to meet her gaze with one of my own that would give her reassurance, "It was just school."

I shrugged as I took another drink. Her chest rose then fell with an audible breath as she slowly nodded her head.

We drank without speaking for a few moments; the tick-tock of the old clock on the wall echoed in the room.

"I talked to your therapist." Mom broke the silence.

"What?" I tried to keep my tone even.

"She found someone here who specializes in..."

My chair scraped against the linoleum as I stood up abruptly.

"No!"

Mom and I stared at each other.

"Sweetie."

I scoffed at the look she gave me. It was the one where she feigned sweetness while going against my wishes.

"It didn't work."

"You didn't try." She countered.

"I have homework." I pushed my chair further back to walk away.

Mom clicked her tongue. "At least finish your tea."

I looked at her then down at the steaming liquid. I picked it up and gulped it down quickly. It burned my throat and I could feel tears stinging my eyes.

"Done."

I stomped out of the kitchen and grabbed my backpack as I headed up the stairs.

Therapy.

Stupid.