Is only a mile away from our new house so on Monday Mama and Papa walk us over to register for our first day. El Rio means “the river” and when we arrive I watch a rush of brown and white faces stream out of cars waving goodbye to their parents. But I do not see any faces that look as dark as mine.
In the office the secretary can’t stop talking excitedly to us. “Oh my! What an interesting family. So unique. I’m sure the girls will be just fine here. We really are a very diverse school. As you can see we have a very large Latino population. They make up almost fifty percent of the school.”
The principal Mr. Bowman takes us on a tour and gives us our locker assignments. My 6th grade classes are all in the main building but Eve gets to be in her own building out back for the high schoolers. We walk across the basketball courts separating the two buildings and Eve nods a quick goodbye before ducking away into her first class.
Then it’s just me Principal Bowman and my white white parents standing in the middle of the court. Even though we are all alone I feel like people are watching. I feel like a big smear of color in the middle of a freshly washed sheet.
“Ok sweets.” Mama says trying to grab my hand. “Let’s get you to your first class.”
“Yes. That would be social studies with Mr. Newman.” Principal Bowman says leading the way.
And when we get there Mama just can’t help herself.
“Anna” Papa starts “let her go in alone. She’ll be fine.”
But Mama waves him aside and comes into the classroom with me to look around. She watches me take my seat and then she gives me a dorky thumbs-up. She hovers in the doorway as Mr. Newman introduces me. Everyone’s eyes are on me. And then they are on Mama. I bury my face in my backpack and pull out my supplies. And I don’t take a deep breath until I hear the door shut. Mama’s footsteps echoing down the hall.