Finding Family, Finding Love

Chapter 12

Elliot

Matteo and santigo departed to thier respective classes. As I stand in front of the classroom door a wave of trepidation washed over me, leaving my face pale and my anxiety spiking.

Every pair of eyes in the room locked onto me, scrutinizing my terrified expression. I felt like a specimen under a microscope.

Calm down, Eli, you've got this.

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with air, and focused on the man standing at the front of the room.

He appeared to be in his early thirties, dressed in a pale blue shirt that complemented his warm complexion, paired with black dress trousers and sleek, pointed shoes that seemed to gleam in the fluorescent lighting. His presence exuded an air of authority, yet his gentle features put me at ease.

I forced a slight smile onto my face, hoping to conceal my nerves. He cleared his throat, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he gestured for me to enter. I stepped towards him feeling the weight of the class's gaze settle upon me once more.

"Hello there, I'm Mr. Petterson," he said, his voice warm and inviting. "What's your name?"

Seriously? Did he clearly not hear Santiago say my name like, 5 seconds ago? Do I need to repeat it myself?

I hesitated, my mind racing with the fear of stuttering. Okay, deep breath, don't stutter, you've got this! I reminded myself. "H-ello, I'm E-Elliot," I stammered, feeling a flush rise to my cheeks.

come on, Eli, get it together!  What's wrong with you?

Mr. Petterson studied me for a moment, his brown eyes softening with understanding. Then, he smiled, a genuine, warm smile that put me at ease.

"Welcome, Elliot. Please take the seat between Silas and Ashley."

I mumbled a small 'thank you' to Mr. Petterson before turning to face the class. Two hands shot up, belonging to a boy and a girl who looked to be around my age. The boy, presumably Silas, had a messy mop of brown hair, pale skin, and dark green eyes that sparkled with curiosity. He offered me a small smile, which I returned, feeling a sense of gratitude.

The girl, Ashley, had long, luscious brown hair, tanned skin, and brown eyes that seemed to hold a perpetual smile. She beamed at me, her enthusiasm infectious. I felt a sense of relief wash over me as I made my way towards the empty seat between them, grateful for their welcoming.

"Hiiii, handsome... ahem,  Sorry, I meant to say, greetings, extremely attractive and charming individual. Excuse my impoliteness. I'm Ashley, and that's Silas," she said, pointing to the boy beside me, who greeted me with a friendly "hi" and a small wave.

I smiled back at him. "I'm Elliot," I replied, trying to sound confident.

I settled into the seat, trying to make myself as small as possible, but Ashley's exuberance made that impossible. She turned to me with a look of excitement and something i couldnt exactly pinpoint, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"The Vannuccis are your brothers? They have a little brother? Since when?" she asked, her voice loud enough to draw attention from the rest of the class.

Everyone's staring at me..oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck. Stop, just stop.

Breathe, damn it, breathe

Anxiety, you're a ruthless bitch, aren't you?

What if they don't like me? What if they see right through me and reject me? What if they think I'm weird, or awkward, or just plain not good enough?