My blush returns. I am mortified.
I tug at his arm and whisper, “Will you sit down? You’re embarrassing me.”
He laughs. “Not trying to, sweetheart,” he says as he sits. “Just want everyone to know how glad I am you came to our school.”
“Thank you for making me feel so welcome,” I say. I feel bad that I don’t have anything else to add. I feel awkward when I speak to him. I’m kinda nervous and am so afraid of saying the wrong thing. He smiles again and turns around in his seat.
Mr. Seymore spends the next few minutes going through announcements. He gives us the full list of lunches for the week, as well as lets us know that the track team will be competing against Bradly on Friday. Since the meet is home, we should all plan to show our support. It’s nothing really different than things I encountered at my old school, yet I feel like I am sitting in a world completely unfamiliar to me.It will get better. It’s got to.
When the bell rings, Jake gets up and lingers beside my desk. “So, who do you have first period?”
I look down at my schedule and frown. “English,” I say. “Dickersly?”
He laughs. “Oh, poor you. She’s a tyrant!”
“Really?” I ask hesitantly.
“You know, I look at it this way. She’s tough and expects a lot from her students, but if you work hard and make her happy, I swear the woman will love you. And I know from experience, ’cause she loves me.”
I can’t help but chuckle as I think to myself,I’m sure everyone loves you.
Before I can respond he says, “And you will have me with you to guide you along.”
I nod. “Oh, so now you are my guide?”
He perks up his shoulders and stands proudly. “The best guide you could get. You are one lucky lady.” Oh, this guy is so full of himself. But he is nice, and I like him. I grab my things and he says, “We better get moving. She hates it when you’re late for her class.”
We rush out of homeroom and make our way to English.
The rest of the day, I go from classroom to classroom, always being introduced as the new girl. Every time, I am embarrassed. Why couldn’t the teacher just say hi to me and not make a big deal about a new girl being at the school?
In the cafeteria, several people come up to me saying, “Hey, I hear you are the new girl.” They tell me their name, not that I remember them all. They are friendly though, which is really all I can ask for on my first day. My last two classes, social studies and geometry, are with Jake. I really hate geometry.
When the final bell of the day rings through the school hallways, relief and worry wash over me. Relief the day is over. And worry because Dad insisted on dropping me off this morning but I have to take the bus home. I have no idea what bus I am supposed to take. I walk outside into the back parking lot of the school and am completely overwhelmed. There are at least twenty buses parked and no clear indication which one I should board. I scan the area for anyone who might help me and spot a man who looks like he’s running the show out here. I walk up to him.
“Excuse me, I was wondering if perhaps you could help me?”
He turns to face me and says, “Oh, you must be the new girl.”
There it is again.Yes, I’m the new girl!I want to climb to the roof of the building and shout, “I’m the new girl!” so everyone will stop saying it.
Instead, I reply politely, “Yes, I’m the new girl.”
“What development do you reside in?” he asks.
“Walnut Hills.”Please do not ask me my address’cause I have no idea.I know I live in Walnut Hills and our street is Meadowbrook, but that’s all I know. Never did I think I would need to memorize my address for my first day at school. I mean really, I have only been in town for two days.
He looks at the clipboard he is holding and says, “Ah, there you are. You will take bus number twelve.” He points in the direction of my bus. “Right over there.”
“Thank you.” I proceed to the bus number twelve and step inside. I speak to the driver, telling her what street I live on, and she tells me to sit up front so she can let me know when we get to my stop. I take the seat right behind her and wait. Several kids get on the bus, heading straight for the back.
I’m looking out the window beside me, lost in thought, when I hear, “Hey, new girl! You’re in my seat.”
I turn to face the voice and say, “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize we had assigned seats.”
As I remove myself from the seat, the driver chimes in and says, “You stay right where you are. We do not have assigned seats on my bus.”
“But I don’t mind…”
