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Grades level iconsGrade 3
Genre information iconMemoir, Narrative
Resource type iconWriting

On the Inside

Yasmeen W., 826 Valencia
In this descriptive short story, a student overcomes their fear of turning on their video.

I feel scared and weird in school. I feel like if I turn on my video, my classmates will laugh or they will make fun of me. It feels bad. I wish I could turn on my video.

One day, I went to 826. I felt scared. Then my dad walked in and said, “Turn on your video.”

I did not want to, but I knew that he was serious. I turned it on. I waited for someone to comment or laugh or make me feel bad, but there was nothing, no laughter or shouting. I waited longer but still, nothing. I wondered if anyone would laugh at me, but class and time kept going on. Minute after minute, but still no one was laughing at me. I was beginning to think that no one was going to laugh at me at all.

All of a sudden a message popped up. It said, “Join Breakout Room 6.” I started to tremble. I was scared. I knew that I would have to talk in a Breakout Room. I was scared, but then I closed my eyes and told myself it would be fine.

So I pressed the “Join” button and it said, “Connecting.” I waited and waited, then I finally saw who I was with: TWO 826 TUTORS. I was furious. I wanted to run and hide, I never wanted to return. But I stood still like a rock. No matter how much I tried to run, I couldn’t. I was trapped!

Then Arel, an 826 tutor, said, “Hello,” and, “Let’s share our names.”

So we did, and when it came to my turn I said in a trembling voice, “My name is Yasmeen.” Then, a few minutes later, we were writing an “I Am” poem. I was starting to not feel so scared and I stopped trembling.

A few minutes later, when the 826 tutors and I were talking, a message popped up. It said, “Breakout Rooms are closing in 56 seconds.”

I waited and waited and then it kicked us out. I yelled, “Noooo!”

Then the teacher, Diana, said, “Who would like to share?”

I raised my hand so quickly, like a lightning bolt. I was so excited to share. After I was done I felt happy and not scared anymore. I felt that I could turn on my video! We all said, “Bye!” and left. I could not wait till next time.

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