Joy/sorrow of changing school

I walked towards my class, feeling low.

My school bus had come early, so I waited until my friend arrived.

I went to her, I wanted to speak, but I had a big lump in my throat.

“Be brave’’,I gathered courage and told her.

  “Shreya,I want to tell you something.’’

  ‘’Speak,I am listening,’’ she said.

   “I am leaving India. I am going to USA for some years.  My parents are moving, so I have to go.  I will be leaving this school in few weeks.”

  ‘’ What?? I don’t want you to leave me all alone here. I hate this class. You are my best friend.’’
There was nothing I could do to change things.  I went back to my desk.

After some time the teacher walked in the class. She wanted me to do run an errand as Green Warrior. But before she could instruct, I decided to tell her.

   “Mam’’

   “Yes, Avni’’

   “Mam, I am leaving the school. I am going to USA. So perhaps, you can find another person for the job.”

    ‘’You are leaving !”, she said  “I will miss you. You are the best Green Warrior I ever had.’’

I think she nearly cried. She had become emotional.

I had second thoughts.  “Why did I tell her? Did I make a mistake in telling her?”

After class, there was a break. I went downstairs to play.

There I encountered old friends. I decided to go ahead and tell them to. All were looking at me, with their mouths wide open.

Radhika was the first to gain her senses back.

She thought I was joking and I should stop. I told her it was not a joke.

My friends hugged me and one cried. I felt I will cry too. I always thought people did not care if I was there or not, but now I knew I was leaving the best treasure of the world behind, my friends.

Memories

It was not long back that I was a new student in this school.

On first day of school I was half-scared.

I had questions in my mind,

    ‘’ Are the kids nice??’’
    ‘’Are teachers normal??’’

During the day, I get a glimpse of the class. Later that day I thought,

”Whoo, the kids and teachers both seem normal.’’

This was a memory of this school on my first day there. Within some time, I made friends; became part of school culture very soon. I studied two years here - grades 5 and grade.

Now the surroundings that were new seemed to be nostalgic. The familiar courtyard, the familiar buildings and the teachers.

My last day at this school arrives.

I feel sad. I know perhaps I will never see these my friends again. Tears come in my eyes, I blink them back.

My science teacher comes and asks me to be in touch with her and wishes me luck.

My social science teacher starts crying, she hugs me and wishes me good luck.

All teachers come and wish me, but they do not cry.

I start to wonder, was I so special???

During the last class, my class teacher and the whole class gives me a huge, beautiful
“We will miss you and keep in touch” card and poster.

All the teachers had written something in the card about me, and my friends had written about how they will miss my pestering.

I get the answer that I meant something to each and every person in the room. I realize I had a great class and teammates.

I start wondering whether I will have a class like this again or not?

On the way back home, my friend in the bus starts crying. I try to make her stop but she doesn’t stop crying.

On the last day of school, I was unable to say goodbye to many friends for which I felt guilty.

As I get down from the bus, my mind plays out many memories of the last two years.
I remember the people who had helped me. My friends, my classmates and my teachers!

I recalled my talks with my English teachers, who patiently replied my questions on how to improve my writing style. My irritating friends, who did not care how much I revolted, but they dragged me along to many events.

I will miss those students, who made fun of me and the quarrels we had afterwards. I will miss the scolding from the teachers who asked us to stop screaming and yelling.