What It Seems | Wattys 2023

Chapter 7

On Monday morning, I arrived two minutes just before class began. I sat down in the fourth seat in the second row in physics.

A few of my classmates were discussing that a new girl transferred somewhere out of the state. News like this was a bit exciting for our school, because of the fact that we live in a small town and we hardly ever receive new students.

"Alright class! Let's begin reviewing for your first test! It's -" Mr. Tress was interrupted by the classroom door being opened. I glanced at the door, the appearance being an unfamiliar face. The girl was speaking with Mr. Tress as the class around me began to pick out things about her outfit, height and the usual. She was standing at an average height. She had long, straight auburn hair and big emerald eyes. She was petite and very pretty.

"Class, this is Jo Collins!" Mr. Tress lowered his voice as he stood near the new girl, Jo.

"You can take a seat by . . .," he paused and looked around the room and spotted the empty seat ahead of me. "Right in front of Adalynne Claire," he continued. I raised my hand so the girl wouldn't appear clueless. She walked in front of the class, head down and trailed to the seat in front of me. She took the seat and sat still.

I tapped her shoulder. Her hair swished behind her shoulder, and she turned her head to glance at me.

"I'm Adalynne Claire," I whispered, introducing myself.

She smiled, "I'm Jo. It's very nice to meet you," she spoke in a southern accent.

"It's nice to meet you, too." I was being friendly, which is odd because I am a socially awkward person.

"Thanks," she whispered and turned back around to pay attention to Mr. Tress, who was reading from the Smart Board.

***

The new girl, Jo, and I had the next two classes together. We made plans to sit with each other at lunch once we separated after our third shared class.

I was standing in the lunch line, grabbing a sandwich in a baggy, an apple, and an iced tea. A nudge was pressed against my shoulder. I turned my head and there stood Baylor.

"Hey," I said. I reached into the cooler for my iced tea. I typed in my lunch number and headed to find Jo.

He appeared at my side again. "Where are you sitting?" Baylor spoke.

"With the new girl, Jo," I answered.

I found Jo sitting at a far table by herself. I sat down on one of the stools and took a sip of my iced tea. I thought Baylor was behind me, but I guess he went to sit somewhere else.

"Who were you walking with?" she wiggled her eyebrows, giggling after. I quietly laughed and took a bite out of the red apple.

"Baylor Parker, he's my brother's best friend."

She mumbled an "oh" under her breath.

"Your brother has a hot best friend," she grinned a toothy, white smile. I smiled.

She laughed, "Hey, he's all yours. I don't even know anyone here except you."

Once we were finished eating, we began conversing, answering questions about one another that we didn't know before. Jo said she's originally from California, and then moved to Georgia, and now she's here. She has two little brothers and an older sister. Her parents are divorced, and she lives with her mom and her older sister. Her dad and brothers still live in Georgia.

I began telling her the basics, like who's who, what they do (if they're the captain of the football team, basketball team, or the head cheerleader), and that was basically it. I gave her information about Nicole, too. That garden utensil . . .