It’s actually snowing, I think to myself. In that second I glance back at the door as I anxiously wait for the principal’s announcement. Will he tell us that school will dismiss early due to inclement weather? It’s the first snow fall of the season. As I look out the few windows that our school has, I see that the whole world is white. I can’t even see the grass anymore; a cold, soft, frozen blanket is cuddling close to the earth. Little round balls of clumped snow hang off the tree branches like small white flowers. The sky is grey and seems unusually close to frozen dirt. The wind is howling in an overly exaggerated whisper. I check the door again, willing it to open so I can run out and make a snow angel like I used to when I was little. Where was the damn announcement all ready?
I look about the room and see all of my eager class mates as anxious as I am. I start rocking from side to side, letting the wobbly chair come with me. I tap my fingers on my desk and shake my feet nervously. As I let my mind wander, I start to wonder how I’m going to get home. Usually I walk home, but there was no way I could make it up that huge hill today. I start mentally noting which one of my older friends will be willing to drive me home in these conditions. My worries must have shown on my face, because all of a sudden I hear, “Carrrrroline, you okay?” the kid sitting next to me says. “Yeah I’m fine.” I say. I didn’t really want to talk; I just want to get the hell out of this classroom. The week seemed unbearably long, and I was ready for a break. I try to remember what the weather man said on the morning news. If the snow continued through the night we wouldn’t have school tomorrow either, then the weekend could start. A four day weekend is exactly what I needed right now. I had test after test, quiz after quiz, and a boat load of homework this week, I just wanted to be done. The sound of the howling wind pulls me out of my stress filled thoughts. At the same moment the lights from the ceiling flicker and I hear the class as a whole go oooooooh. I take my eraser cap off my pencil and roll it between my fingers just for something to do. Surprisingly, the cool softness on my fingertips sooths me a little. When I accidentally drop the eraser, I drop my patience with it…great. Every second was an hour. Suddenly I see my friend across the room smiling at me comfortingly, some how saying; It’s okay, only a little while longer…RELAX. She knew how stressed I was this week, with all of my school work, and other obligations. Suddenly I felt guilty for making this moment much more stressful than it actually was. I smile back. Then breathe. Even though the past few minutes have felt like filling a balloon with so much air that it could pop any minute, this moment was kind of cool. I try to embrace the idea that I was in a classroom with way to many kids, and the sky practically black out side the window. The teacher gave up long ago on trying to make us pay attention or her lesson plan. I have friends all around me, chattering to each other, sounding like a dull roar that was growing in anticipation. I laugh as I see a kid a few rows ahead of me almost fall out of his seat because he was bouncing up and down on his unstable desk chair. This was okay. I was okay.
The lights flicker again, only this time I don’t silently scream at the other kids’ reaction, instead I giggle. As I meet the same friend’s gaze who gave me my relaxing, and reassuring smile, she points to my bulging pocket with her eyes. I pull out my cell phone and see that she sent me a text message. I don’t even bother to scan the room to see if my teacher is watching me, she gave up the rules and regulations of the classroom when she stopped teaching. I look at the little screen to see what she wrote; u wnt 2 cum 2 my house? Cocoa & movies mrathon? I smile to myself, thankful that she knows me so well. Suddenly I hear a loud, over powering voice coming from no where. It’s the principal, the moment we’ve all been waiting for. I can literally feel the stress and anxiety from this past week fall from my chest. Before I get all of my belongings, the usually packed classroom already only had a few lingering students. I look out the window one more time and see the beginnings of a snow ball fight. It makes me laugh. It didn’t take much for a bunch of teenagers to remember what is was like to be kids with no worries in the world. I pull my eyes away from dozens of students laughing and having a ball, to shift them on my awaiting friend. I had hot cocoa, plenty of movies, and a great friend waiting for me after all. As we walk out of the same door that was my barricade a few minutes earlier, I feel completely at ease. I was free.
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