Two of a Kind

Kenya Berry

10:00 class


As Dr. Abernathy entered the classroom, she instructed the students to settle down and prepare for the day's lesson. She begins to introduce the lecture but is suddenly interrupted by a screech at the door. The students instantly directed their attention toward the entrance. There stands a young man, tall and slim, with a look of confusion upon his face. "May I help you?", asks the professor. He walks in and introduces himself as Koui, an exchange student from Hawaii. Major, who sits at the very back of the classroom, shouts "that explains the flower print shirt you're wearing". All the students laughed, but Dr. Abernathy immediately silences them. She informs the new student that the class is about to begin a group activity and the should break off in pairs. "It looks as though everyone has a partner except Mark, so you two can work together", says Dr. Abernathy. Mark always sits alone; opposite all the other students in the class and he rarely ever speaks beyond answering the role. He always wears a hooded jacket to class because the other students make fun of his chubby red cheeks and his pale white skin. Koui makes his way toward where Mark is sitting. Mark doesn't look particularly happy. But as the class period goes on, he and Koui begin to open up to each other as they work on the assignment. The two of them discover that they have several things in common.