Triangles of light danced across the walls of the classroom. The cool autumn breeze blew from the window and through the maze of people. I tried my hardest to focus on the presentation, but found myself staring back at the flowers my hands were creating. The pencil danced across the page marking it lightly, then continuing the pattern over and over again. There is nothing interesting about these presentations. It sounds like a robot is trying to teach us, but I have to get a good grade. I cannot fail these presentations. I turned my head to see Mr. Smith’s bushy mustache watching me ignore the reflection form I should be filling out.

“Miss. Caroline would you like to present next since you don’t intend on doing the reflection?” Mr. Smith snapped at me.

It felt as if a frog had been lodged in my throat. I couldn’t bring myself to speak. I slowly nodded my head in fear that my voice would be weak. All of the moisture my mouth had contained was gone within seconds.

“Exactly.” The annoyance in his voice rang through my skull.

I pushed myself out of the desk that I had used as a safe zone to avoid the wrath of my peers and made my way through the labyrinth of desks and over to the corner where my poster was hidden. The cold air of the room sent chills down my back. My hands felt the cardboard as I carefully pulled the fragile board out of the corner. I pinned the poster to the whiteboard. I turned around and the whole class was staring at me. I released the fists my hands were clenched in to see beads of sweat forming on my palms.

"The Romans were known for their architecture. The columns the Romans used are still used in buildings today." I announced as I glanced at the clock, wishing for the hour to be over.

I turned to point to a picture of a column on my poster, but I was too far away. The two feet seemed like hundreds of miles. My left foot moved forward, urging my right foot to follow. Although I was already walking, I felt my foot being pulled backwards as if a flesh-eating monster was choosing me as its next victim. I swung my head to see my foot caught in a desk. I felt panic rising in my chest just before my face slammed into the hard ground with no mercy. I only felt pain for a second before laughter erupted through the room. I could feel my cheeks start burning into a bright pink. The laughter of my peers suddenly felt contagious. I rolled over clutching my stomach, trying to contain my own laughter. Once the laughter died down I stood up and bowed to my classmates. The quiet was replaced with clapping.

As soon as I finished my presentation the bell rang and the sound of stomping feet and rustling papers filled the room. I closed my flower covered notebook and stood up.
"I must say Miss. Caroline I was not expecting such a show from you. Good work." Mr. Smith's voice had a hint of kindness hidden under his unkempt mustache.

"Thank you." I said confidently. He nodded as if to dismiss me from the room and I scurried out into the hallway. I glanced down at the flowers that I had drawn on my old shoes with a new smile plastered on my face. I finally felt like a flower, free and changing.