向著友誼邁進

向著友誼邁進

Track 5

by Ava Pennington翻譯：德孟

Life with Mom， Dad， and two sisters had always been peaceful. But then came a news that would change my world. We were moving，before the beginning of my sixth grade， leaving the only town I had ever known. Not only would I not be able to graduate elementary school with my friends， but I also would have to start middle school with a class full of kids who had known each other since1）kindergarten.

Making friends didn’t come easily to me， and it didn’t help being the eldest child of2）immigrant parents. The fear of starting a new school hung over me like a black cloud，3）tainting each summer day.

At the first day of school， I entered my new classroom trying very hard not to appear as scared as I felt， but it wasn’t easy. Twenty-eight faces turned to look up at me as I followed the teacher into the room. They all looked so cool， and some of the girls even wore make-up. How would I ever fit in？ I was4）out of touch in every way possible. I wasn’t allowed to wear make-up or5）nail polish. I wore6）leotards instead of7）stockings， and much of my wardrobe was handmade，8）sewn by my mother and grandmother.

1） kindergarten ［,k?nd?'gɑ?t?n］ n. 幼兒園

2） immigrant ［'?m?gr?nt］ adj. 移民的，移來的

3） taint ［te?nt］ v. 玷污，敗壞

4） out of touch 孤陋寡聞，不了解某事

5） nail polish 指甲油

6） leotards ［'li??tɑ?dz］ n. 緊身下裝，褲襪

7） stocking ［'st?k??］ n. 長襪

8） sew ［s?J］ v. 縫制

Mr. Bernstein introduced me to the class and directed me to an empty seat in the back of the room， next to another girl. Her name was Janet.

Mr. Bernstein began to rapidly9）detail the requirements for the class. I10）stole peeks at my seatmate from time to time while writing down what the teacher said. What was she like？ Was she part of the in-crowd注？ Did she hate11）being saddled with the new girl？

After class we walked to the canteen， sat together， and opened our lunch bags. Between bites of our sandwiches， we began to ask each other questions. Sisters？ We both had two， although I was the oldest and she was the youngest. Home？ It turned out that we lived about a fifteen-minute walk apart. Upbringing？ Her parents were as strict as mine： no make-up or stockings， and similar early12）curfews and bedtimes.

The smiles on both of our faces13）broadened with each new exchange. On this first day in a new school， I still didn’t know if the in-crowd would accept me. I did know， however， that it was going to be a good year after all.

和爸爸、媽媽及兩個妹妹在一起的生活素來平靜。但一個突如其來的消息改變了我的生活。我們要搬家了，在我上六年級之前就要搬了，要離開我唯一熟知的這個城鎮了。我不僅不能夠和朋友們一起從小學畢業，還要和一大群陌生的孩子們一起開始中學生活，而他們每個人自幼兒園時起就互相認識了。

交朋友對我來說不是件容易的事，盡管我是移民夫婦膝下的長女也于事無補。對新學校的恐懼就像一朵黑云，污染了我的每一個明媚夏日。

在開學的第一天，我走進了陌生的教室，十分努力地不讓心底的恐懼表現出來，但這并不容易。我跟著老師走進教室的時候，全班28張面孔都轉過來看著我。他們看起來都是那么的酷，其中一些女生甚至還化了妝。我怎么能融入他們呢？我在方方面面都跟不上形勢。家里不許我化妝、涂指甲。我穿緊身褲，不穿長筒絲襪，我衣櫥里的很多衣服都是由我母親和外婆手工縫制的。

伯恩斯坦老師向全班人介紹了我，然后指引我到教室后面的空座位上，緊鄰著一名女生坐下。那位女生名叫珍妮特。

伯恩斯坦老師開始滔滔不絕地細說起班級規則來。我一邊記錄著老師說的話，一邊時不時地偷瞄幾眼我的同桌。她是個怎樣的人呢？她是那群前衛的人中的一個嗎？她會不會討厭擔負照顧新來女生的這個責任呢？……