Back To You

Old Town, New School

I made my way up the front steps of the building. Students passed me from both directions and no one seemed to pay much attention to me, which I was thankful for. I pulled my phone from my pocket and found that it was 8:03. I didn't have much time since school officially started at 8:15.

I wandered around a little bit before I found the main office and got my schedule. The woman behind the desk, Mrs. Walsh gave me a bright smile as she handed me a piece of paper with a sticky note on it.

"This is your schedule, sweetie, and I wrote your locker number and combination right here." She tapped on the sticky note.

I returned her smile. "Thank you."

On my way out, I grabbed a map of the school to help find my classes.

My first few classes weren't very hard to find since they were all pretty close together. I was afraid that I would get lost on my first day which would give me the clueless new-girl label right away and I didn't want that. I made sure to look over my map before venturing out into the hallways to hopefully keep some attention away from the fact that I didn't know this school.

It had been six years since I had lived in this town. Back then my only friend had been Andrew, and I had hoped to see him but so far I had no such luck. Maybe he didn't go here.

Even if I looked exactly the same as I used to, I still doubted anyone would recognize me. Since I didn't leave as the most popular of people, no one even glanced in my direction.

I would have been disappointed if I wasn't so relieved at the lack of drama. The school I had transferred to right before junior high had been nothing but, and I was dying for a peaceful year.

Each of my classes passed uneventfully since I sat at the front and didn't introduce myself to anyone.

I walked into my third period class and set my things down in the nearest seat to me then I walked over to the teacher to let him know that I was new.

"Natalia Johnson?" He asked.

"That's me." I nodded at him in confirmation.

"Well, welcome Natalia, I'm Mr. Blanchard." He said with a smile. "Go ahead and take a seat anywhere you want."

"Okay, thank you." I replied with a smile then turned and went back to my seat.

Mr. Blanchard lectured the class about something they had already been learning. It was calculus which I had been taking at my old school before I came here, so I knew the basis of what they were talking about.

I was taking notes when my though process was interrupted by whispers and giggles from behind me. I subtly turned around to see two girls in a hushed conversation that was apparently extremely interesting because they didn't even notice Mr. Blanchard walk over to their desks.

"Am I interrupting your conversation, ladies?" He asked them.

They surprised me when they didn't cower away in embarrassment like I know I would have. They only smirked.

"Of course not Mr. B, please continue." A pretty blonde girl said. She smiled sweetly at him.

He only rolled his eyes before turning back and beginning the lesson again.

I made my way through the halls to where I was hoping the cafeteria would be. I squeezed my way through the excess of students, avoiding elbows and swinging locker doors that were coming at me.

I walked into the cafeteria and purchased my food, a ham sandwich and a bottle of water. I made my way over to a nice empty table that was slightly littered with trash and cleared myself a spot. The tables were filling up fast, so I was glad that I found this spot before it was taken and I would have to make awkward conversation with someone.