Lula stepped through the school door. Her knuckles were pale around the zipper of her yellow raincoat. The hallway erupted with laughter and slamming lockers. She pressed herself flat against the wall. She thought about turning around and walking back out the door.
A boy near the cubbies watched her. His coat sleeves were pulled over his hands, hiding his fingers. She kept her eyes fixed on the scuffed linoleum floor. She pressed her back harder against the cold metal lockers. Her yellow raincoat crinkled with every tiny movement.
She peeked at the classroom door. 'Ms. Lin' was written in blue letters. She reached for the handle, but it wouldn't turn. She tugged again; it was stuck. Her raincoat rustled as she shifted her weight. She thought about trying the next door.
She considered turning back. Then the bell rang—a sharp, metallic clang that made her jump. Through the window, she saw the boy from the cubbies sitting alone at a table. He traced a finger around a juice stain on the wood. She thought he looked just as nervous as she felt.
He looked up and caught her eye. He quickly looked back down at his juice stain. Her hand hovered near the brass door handle. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open. She thought about running back to the hallway.
She walked straight to the boy's table and didn't sit. Instead, she offered a small, wobbly smile. The boy's shoulders dropped, and he smiled back, wider this time. She thought maybe he understood. His smile made her feel less alone.
'I'm Leo,' he said, holding out a crumpled drawing of a dragon. Its paper wings seemed to flap when he moved it. She laughed, the sound bright and sudden in the quiet room. She tucked her raincoat over her arm. She thought maybe she belonged here.
She sat down in the chair Leo had offered. The dragon drawing fluttered between them on the scratched wooden table. Through the tall classroom window, autumn leaves danced in the bright morning sunlight. She thought about tomorrow. She thought she might not be so scared tomorrow.
