"Welcome back to school, you're 8th graders now so act like one. anyway we have a new student in our advisory this year.

"Come, amber, introduce yourself" My teacher Mrs.K, whose full name I never really remember, said to the class and me.

"Hi, my name is Amber Liu. I'm from LA and this is my 8th year in korea, im a girl by the way…" I walked into my new class at my new school and immediately saw her sitting with two other kids that looked like they were part of her 'clique'.

She looked at me and smiled, probably just wanted to be polite while thinking "why is this creepy person staring at me". "Amber, why don't you go and sit next to krys. She lived in California for quite a long time too, maybe she can be your buddy"

now, I was once part of the returning students too, I never really liked the idea of giving new kids 'buddies'. I've been helping buddies for new kids a few times. Maybe its just me but being some strangers' buddy is probably the most awkward thing in the world. The new kid sticks with you all day, not really saying a word but just following you to wherever you're heading.

"Hey, my name is Krystal, Jung soo jung" she turned around and looked at me while i took my pencil case out "call me krys though, thats what everyone calls me."

"sure, nice to meet you krys. I'm Amber, Liu Yi Yun"

"I've seen you before, were you in the AC Soccer team? the goalkeeper?"She asked after few minutes of silence

"Yeah, and you play striker, right?"

"Yep, whats your first block?" she asked me while taking out her lesson schedule

"oh uhm, first block i have spanish"I told her and handed my schedule "Here, just check my schedule"

"hmm.. looks like we only have Spanish and Advisory together, no worries, ill still bring you to your classes the first few days" she gave back my schedule and created a note on her mac something clicked.

Although i didnt know back then, it was the start of a very different relationship.

Later on in the 35 minute advisory Mrs.K gave out the student handbook, which nobody really used throughout the year, and played some 'getting to know each other' game.

We threw 'Bob the bear' around while standing in circles, we had to first say our name and tell the rest of the class one thing about you.

The cycle started with krys. "My name is krys, I'm Korean American" She didnt say anything else about her, she just threw bob to her friend right next to her

"My name is Rebecca, I LOVE my dog, his name is cow" well, thats nice to know, Rebecca. Rebecca threw bob to their other friend

"My name is Kim, I guess you can say that I'm a hipster" Later in the year I decided she was a wannabe hipster, not a real one.

Kim threw bob to a short guy next to me "My name is Henry, i like girls" well, .... Henry turned to me and handed bob to me

"My name is Amber, I hate hugs" I didnt just hate hugs, I hated all close up interactions with people, they give me headaches and i never really hugged anyone. I turn stiff after people get close to me or wants to hug me

"wait wahhhhh?" Krys and her friends both shouted right after I said that "You dont like hugs?"

"Yeah, I get sick and uncomfortable" I told them,

but it didnt stop them from running towards me and hugging me one by one

something clicked again.

when Rebecca hugged me, I felt sick.

When Kim hugged me, I got even more sick,

but when krys approached, i didnt want to escape at all, i didnt even feel sick.

"Alright guys, head to your first class" Mrs.K told us after the bell went

"Hey, lets go to spanish now" Krys came to me while I was packing my bag "Senor Ortiz gets pretty mad if we're late to his class"

"just a second" I told her while closing my mac "Alright, sorry for the wait, lets go"

In spanish class, i learnt that one is uno, bye is adios, my teacher's name is William Ortiz Medina but likes to be called Senor Ortiz and that krys is part of the popular clique (or 'mean girls' as Stefani who sat next to me told me).

TBC.