She glanced at the clock and counted the minutes she had left in the bed before she had to start her morning routine. A little yoga was on today’s schedule, followed by her usual tasks of shower, dress, breakfast, and teeth-brushing. She’d hung her clothes out on the back of her door and put her packed bag by the main entrance.
Without Steph by her side, Ade left nothing to chance. She’d learned to overprepare rather than risk a meltdown during the day. Her pops had helped her adapt to new routines over the years by keeping as much as possible the same. Now, her morning routine was one of those things that, if done right, she could fly through with minimum brain tax.
By the time she got to campus, it was turning nine o’clock, just as she’d predicted. The tram had been a couple of minutes late,and it had been crowded. She could have gotten off and walked the last part, but that would have put her back by more than thirty minutes.
She had a full day of chaperone duties, and some students had signed up for one-on-one counselling sessions. But first, she was due to hold a group discussion about some of the social activities that could be planned through the semester. Ade gulped down the apprehension rising in her throat. Both scenarios were way out of her comfort zone. She’d gotten to know some of the students since they’d arrived, but they were still virtual strangers, and she didn’t cope well with new relationships.
Sylvie popped into her mind again. She was fast becoming an exception to the rule. Ade didn’t mind her company, however novel it was.
In the classroom she’d been assigned for the day, she set up the chairs in a circle, intending for everyone to have an equal voice in the group. She stood back and surveyed her positioning. She moved a white board forward so everyone would be able to see it and scrawledRules of Engagementas neatly as she could across the top.
She rubbed it out with an eraser then wroteGround Rules.
That wasn’t right either. Desperate to convey a sense of belonging but floundering to find the words, she wroteSAFE SPACE.
When she turned around, she had an audience of three at the door: Greg, Madison, and Kelly. “Oh, hello. Take a seat,” Ade said, avoiding eye contact. “Is anyone else planning to join us?”
“I doubt it.” Madison twirled her long blond hair around her manicured finger. “They all think this is lame.”
“But you don’t.” Ade sat in the circle among them.
“I heard there was a budget for socials,” Kelly said.
Greg leaned forward. “We’d like to help you organize things, Ade, if that’s useful.”
Greg meant well. The others could be trouble. Before Adecould make any further judgment, another two undergrads filed through the open door. Scott and Lisa pushed at each other’s shoulders and giggled before throwing themselves into the vacant chairs.
“Sorry we’re late,” Lisa said, tossing her bag onto the floor and spilling half the contents of her pencil case in the process.
“You’re not late.” Ade looked at the clock to confirm her sense of the time. “We were just about to get started.” She’d practiced her speech until late last night, worrying that her delayed bedtime would knock her routine out of whack. In groups like this, she had to be super clear about what she had to say, otherwise nerves would get the better of her and oftentimes, she’d fall silent. The emotional scars of stage fright, selective mutism, or whatever else her teachers and doctors had called it, had never quite healed.
Now older and wiser, she’d become aware enough to know what helped and hindered. Preparation was key. “As part of our year together, one of my roles is to arrange a social gathering of some sort at least once per semester.” She scanned the tops of their heads, hoping that would pass for eye contact. “This session today is for us to gather some ideas about what that looks like and how we can organize ourselves. I don’t expect to have all the answers, but we can start to form a plan.”Too robotic?She looked up at Greg for some reassurance. With his nod, she continued. “As this is one of our first times as a cohort outside of the classroom or lab, I want to remind you that when we’re together, it’s a safe space to ask questions, put forward ideas, and maybe challenge each other, respectfully.”
“Yeah, right.” Scott, the one with the broad shoulders and big attitude, threw a pencil at Lisa.
Ade froze, running through all the ways she could handle the situation. “Guys, let’s think about that respect from the start.”
“Sorry.” Scott grunted, sinking into his football shoulders.
Ade stared at her whiteboard, considering the crème-de-la-crème of the California state marine biology department. Maybethey saved their brains for lab time.
“Do we have any money for this stuff?” Lisa asked, filing her nail into a strange point.
“Sure.” Ade scribbled on her board. “Three thousand for the whole year.”
“Make a great frat party, huh, Greg?” Scott’s belly laugh rumbled between them.
“I was thinking of maybe a sea excursion. Kind of fits with our studies.” Greg said, his kind eyes seeking Ade’s approval.
She wrote it on the board, ignoring Scott’s suggestion.
“Beach barbecue?” Kelly unfolded her arms. “There’s a great spot down at Palavas. We could head down there after a marine lab session one afternoon.”
“In the winter, dumb ass?” Scott sniggered.
Ade took a breath. “Remember the respect we’re showing one another?”
“Actually, we could plan it for the summer term. We’re here a whole year. You’re the dumb ass.” Kelly turned away.
