It was the first day of preschool. It was my very first time interacting with toddlers my age. Back in California, I was the only toddler in our neighborhood. Everyone else was either a baby, in first grade and up, or an adult. I remember being so terrified looking up at the looming building that was "Ms. Ellen's wonderful preschool".

We had moved across the U.S. to Virginia because Dad had found a great job opportunity here. I remember being super excited about being able to ride in a plane. To fly to a mystical unknown place. Of course, when I got off the plane I was extremely disappointed when the airport in Virginia looked exactly like the one back in California.

"Come on," Mom said, "It will be alright. The teachers are very nice." It wasn't the teachers I was worried about, it was the other kids. I didn't tell her that because I didn't want her to worry even more than she already was. She and Dad have been worrying about me ever since I was born.

I was born with a very weak beating heart. I can still live life kinda normally, I just can't do as much physical activity as others. I'm also more susceptible to diseases that have to do with a lack of warmth.

So she wouldn't worry, I told her, "It's okay Mommy, I'm not scared." She immediately brightened up. She took my hand in hers and we walked to the front entrance. She opened the big glass door. I took a deep breath just like how I was taught in physical therapy and took my first step into a new life in Virginia.

The room was huge. There was a big circular table in the middle, with chairs all around its circumference. There were two kids on the table drawing with crayons on black pieces of paper. All around the room, kids were doing different activities.

On one side of the room, some kids were playing with blocks, some made out of foam and some made out of wood. On another side of the room, there was a bookshelf filled with picture books. Surrounding it were kids reading picture books in various positions; lying down on their stomachs, lying down on their backs, sitting criss-cross applesauce. One kid had her back on the floor and her feet against the wall reading the picture book just like that. After a few seconds though, the book fell out of her hands and onto her face.

But what caught my eye was in the corner of the room, there was a playhouse that was the perfect size for toddlers. Only two kids were playing near it. A girl who was play-cooking inside the house -whose name I soon learned was Tiffany-, and a little boy who was playing with toy trucks outside the house.

Right next to him was a stuffed giraffe. It had a round body with stubby and short legs. The neck was almost as wide as the body. On its oval-shaped head were white, short, and stubby horns and ears that were at the side of its head. The giraffe had a big smile on his face.

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Mom must've noticed me staring because she told me, "Go on. I'm sure they'd love to play with you." I looked at her with a look that probably said, Are you sure? Mom looked at her phone, "It's almost time for me to leave," she muttered. She crouched down, put my face in her hands, and put her forehead against mine. "You are going to do just fine and you're gonna make lots of friends okay?" "Okay." She kissed me on the forehead and gave me a "dragon hug"(I was into dragons a lot as a kid). Mom stood up, not before giving me one last kiss. She waved goodbye as she walked toward the door. I waved back. "Bye Mommy. I love you." "I love you more."

I watched her close the door and wave at me once again through the glass. I waved back. I watched as she walked through the parking lot to her car. I watched her get in and drive out of the parking space, out of the parking lot, and onto the road. I watched until I couldn't see her car anymore.

After that, I now focused on the task at hand: getting closer to that stuffed giraffe. I decided that the best course of action would be to walk over there and ask that little boy if I could hold his giraffe. It was easier said than done. If I was nervous before, I was terrified then. It was only after taking 10 deep breaths that I finally calmed down. I walked over to the boy, opened my mouth, and said nothing. I closed it and decided to just stare at him until he noticed my presence.

The girl who was playing inside the playhouse noticed me and walked up to me and asked, "Who are you?" The boy heard the girl's voice and looked up at me. I started to hyperventilate. I stuttered, "I-I-I'm-My name is-". I could feel my head getting lighter with each breath, my eyesight becoming blurrier by the second.

No, I thought, I can't faint now. I promised Mommy I'd be good. The boy stood up and walked toward me with a look of worry on his face. "Are you okay?", he asked. I continued to hyperventilate. He looked around on the floor and finally picked up the stuffed giraffe. He handed it to me. It felt even fluffier than I thought it would. I brought the giraffe closer to my body. My breath slowed and I could see clearly again.

"His name is Georgie, and my name is Mitchell. What's your name?" "Sayako," I whispered. "My name is Tiffany!", the girl yelled. Her voice was loud and it startled me. "O-kay."

"Do you wanna play trucks with me?", Mitchell asked. "Okay!", I was so excited that I was able to make a new friend that day, that I even forgot that Georgie was still in my hands.

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At the end of the day when the adults came to pick us up, I saw my Mom and ran to her. I told her all about my new friend and all the fun we had at daycare. "See? I told you they'd love to play with you," Mom said with a reassuring smile.

"So where's your friend? I'd love to meet him." I grabbed Mom's hand, "He's over there see? The one with the green and blue shirt." I practically dragged Mom to where Mitchell was, "Hi Mitchell!" Mitchell saw me and grinned, "Hi Sayako!" Next to him was a woman with the same hair color as him. Probably his Mom.

"Mommy look! That's my friend!" His Mom looked at me. I flinched then looked up at Mom. Mom went over to Mitchell's Mom. "My name's Elizabeth, but you can call me Eliza." My Mom reached out to shake her hand. Mitchell's Mom grabbed it, "Rebecca. I take it you're new here." "Yes. We've come from California. We moved to Virginia because there was a better job opportunity here for my husband."

"Wow!", Rebecca had a look of surprise on her face. She then turned to face me, she crouched down and looked at me. "Awww. Look at you! Such a cutie," She lightly pinched my cheek. "Sayako, say 'thank you,'" Mom said. "Thank you, Rebecca."

"Awww. You are very welcome, Sayako." She checked her phone, "Well, it's been nice meeting you Eliza, and you too Sayako. Mitchie! Come on, let's go!" "Wait!", Mitchell said, "I need to do something first." Mitchell took Georgie the giraffe and handed it to me, "You can keep it if you want."

I took Georgie, hugged him so tight, then looked at Mitchell and said, "Thank you, Mitchie!"