Shapes

Transfer Student

What do you think the world is?
Some people think it's ruled over by some unseen being, that was kind enough to bring us to life.
Some think we formed this earth ourselves.
But they are all foolish. This world, Is nothing more than a circle. Repeating, over, and over, and over again. It never changes, it never stops. My world is a shape. Nothing more. A simple form of geometry, that no matter how it looks from any angle, it is a shape.

A circle.

But everything has its flaws. And my circular world, my geometrical life, would be changed forever, on October 17, 1999. In Surprise, Arizona. When a transfer student will draw a line through my perfect, circle.
It started in English class, second period when I was sitting at my desk, next to Jessie, my absolute bestie in classes. We've done everything together. We did all of our science projects together, we met our first teacher together, and we helped each other with our homework for every class, together. But English was my least favorite class. Scott Nelton, our English teacher, was absolutely the most unruly person ever. He gave us unfair grades, and kept us after class a lot. But no one questioned him, for his actions were a circle. A repetitive shape.

I had my headphones in my ears and pretended to listen to his lecture that he gives every day. When that heavenly, savior bell rang.

I blindly reached behind my chair at my back pack, which slipped off the back of the chair to my annoyance. I hated when things didn't do what I wanted. I took a deep breath, and picked up my bag, slowly putting my headphones in while following the rushing stampede of children headed straight for the west door, to the short brake in between classes. I checked my chart. Yep. Same as ever. I thought as I stared at the ever so dreaded words drawn in ink in the middle of my schedule.

Math. I absolutely dreaded math. Although, it helped a little that I good friends with the math teacher, Mrs. Kelsey. She used to work for my dad at an office building back in Chicago. A place I haven't been. I quietly made my way outside and sat underneath the willow tree at our school, and sketched a leaf that had fallen in front of me. I shaded in its brownish slightly tinted willow color, along with the stems withered leaf colors and standards.

I finished my sketch and by then, the bell for third period had rung. The bell for math. I silently put in my headphones, stood up, slid my hands into my warm pockets, and followed everyone to class. I watched my footsteps as I walked. Right, left. Right, left. I repeated the pattern on my footsteps in my head. Right, Turn left, Right, Left, Right...

I stepped into the class room and slid my bag off my shoulders, placing it on the back in my chair, then sat down at my desk. It's going to be no different than an other day. I decided in my head. But today, my decision was wrong. Mrs. Kelsey stood from her desk and spoke, "today, you all have a new classmate! Jasper, would you like to say a little bit about yourself?" I looked up. Jasper... That name. I recognize it from some where.... Jasper stepped up to the front of the class, and smiled slightly. "Hello everyone, my name is Jasper Hoff. I'm a transfer student from high branches elementary, on hilltury ave." he looked to calm. Peaceful, and calm. Like he didn't have a care in the world.

Mrs. Kelsey smiled at Jasper, and thanked him, while she directed him to a seat. "Jasper, could you please take your seat next to Allyssa?" This was the second time I had looked up. His seat? Next to me? Why? We aren't comparable at all. He's calm, and I'm bored. I watched him, while listening to his footsteps; right, left, right, left...

Comfortable in his seat, then I slowly guided my eyes back to the teacher. Maybe, just maybe, the world wasn't so circular after all.