The Second Time - TGWDLM

New Girl

The door opens in the back of the classroom to reveal a late college student, eyes with dark bags, messy hair, and large sweatpants. Tucked under their arm was a paper schedule.
Everyone in the room turns, hoping for a good distraction from their crazy biology professor. Many just scoff at the latecomer and turn back around, staring at the clock above the board, others eyes linger but turn away eventually as they walk in and take a seat.

"My apologies professor, I got lost" the student scratches their arm. Some of the students in the room were confused, why did she get lost? Its the middle of the semester. 

"It's alright, just see me after class" 

"Yes sir"

"Alright, so, Darwin's theory of evolution is actually very interesting. Survival of the fittest you may call it. For example, thousands of years ago humans engaged in reproduction with another human whom they found attractive. So if one of us were to..."

One of the class members turned to the new girl,

"Hey, how'd you get lost? It's the middle of the semester." Uncomfortably she replied,

"I transferred" 

"From where?" No answer. The name on the paper was Kathryn. "Kathryn?" The girl did not turn her head, so they tried again, "Kathryn?!" 

"What?" She sharply asked, trying to keep up with the professor and his tangent. 

"I asked where you were from." The student replied, annoyed. A pause following. 

"Maine" the student sat back, satisfied with the answer. Finally leaving Kathryn alone.

"And that is how birds are tiny dinosaurs. See you all Thursday!" The professor finished. Kathryn walked past all the students racing to get out. 

"You wanted to see me, sir?" 

"Please, Hidgens will do" the silver-haired professor replied. "I saw you just were enrolled yesterday and I was wondering where you studied before? Just so I could adjust the material a bit so you aren't behind." Quickly shoving papers into a folder. 

"Oh um, it was a community college, I took an AP class in high school and the college refused to accept the credit, so I am just finishing it. I can follow along, you don't have to adjust. Thank you though Professor Hidgens." Kathryn smiled. 

"Alright then, I will see you Kathryn-" he stopped

"Daniels, Sir"

"Kathryn Daniels" He repeated back to her. 

"Have a nice day Professor," Kathryn said as she walked out, again scratching the gauze under her shirt sleeve. 

"You too" Professor Henry Hidgens replied quietly. He stood in the middle of the large lecture hall, thinking. That name... it sounded so familiar. But why?

Outside the class stood the annoyingly nosy kid from before. He was tying his shoes with his feet up on the seat of a nearby bench. When he saw Kathryn leave the classroom he stared at her. he spoke up,

"Hey! You!" Kathryn turned around, unhappily.

"What do you want? I have somewhere to be," she crossed her arms in front of her chest, hooking her thumbs into the straps of her backpack. He looked her up and down,

"You never answered my question, Where did you transfer from?"

"It is none of your business, please leave me alone, I really need to go" She turned but froze when she heard light music playing from somewhere. She walked faster away, unhooking her fingers and squeezing her bandaged arm. 

She ran through downtown Hatchetfield.