I was once submissive. Feared, I would protect myself by speaking “Yes”, “No”, or “I don’t know” to camouflage from others. Every day I would sit in the Special Education hallway with my friends numbered “1023-1031”, plug in my headphones, and separate myself from the rest of the world.
Day after day, 6 months passed. One day, I was at my usual spot. Once in a blue moon, my ESOL teacher, Ms. Zhou, walked passed me with two bulky bags. She greeted me. “Come with me.” In that awkward moment, all I could perceive was that I was in trouble. While unloading her bags, Ms. Zhou requested me to close the door. I then sat anxiously on the stool. “Tick Tock, Tick Tock”, …show more content…
Shout out as loud as possible. Roar!”
I couldn’t. I mumbled “Ah”. The room was dead air! Tears unconsciously cascading through my cheek, down my chin, eventually ended up on the back of my hands. Each drop symbolized my disappointments: loneliness, fear, struggles and nostalgia. Ms. Zhou, however, didn’t say everything instead she handed me a tissue and a Twix.
The next day I put on a Siberian tiger graphic T-shirt, stood in front of the wooden door, and knocked with shaky, clenched fists. Walking into the room with confidence, I stopped at Zhou’s desk. Waiting for the best time.
“AAAAAAAHHH!” This shriek diffused across the room. My classmates stared at me, amused and surprised, whispering to one another. On the other hand, Ms. Zhou and I grinned. All my internal struggles, suddenly, dissipated.
One simple scream not only restored my confidence, but also brought me valuable friends. My shocked classmates became my new friends. I shifted my lunch area from that hallway to the ESOL classroom, and right now I am with a bunch of amicable friends. Ceased communicating one-word responses. My cells catalyzed. I was activated! When someone