Author's Note:

Thanks for coming to read my first fanfic! I'll apologize in advance for any spelling or grammatical errors, I've read it through myself but I might have missed something. I really hope you like it.


At the front of the classroom our teacher was tapping his fingers on the desk impatiently. He'd told us at the beginning of the lesson that we were expecting a new student. Naturally that had gathered a reaction; everyone had been asking questions. Was it a boy? Or a girl? What were they like? What lessons would they be taking? Where would they sit? Who would be there partner? The questions went on and on until Mr Hatton had finally snapped and told the class that he knew no more than they did, he had merely been informed this morning that he would be expecting a new addition to the class. The irritation in his voice was obvious as he finished speaking and settled back in his chair waiting for the new student to arrive.

That had been fifteen minutes ago.

Normally a new student would be a couple of minutes late because the headmaster insisted in talking to each and every student on their first day. (Yeah you can imagine the chaos on the first day back) So, of course no one was bothered to begin with, after five minutes had passed the class was starting to get bored and started mucking around much to Mr Hatton's annoyance. He said nothing though, just irritably glanced at the door in the hope that this student would arrive.

After a further five minutes had passed Natalie, the girl who sat in front of me raised her hand.

"Do you think that the new student's lost sir?" she asked. Natalie was the sort of girl who just oozed friendliness, she had a bubbly personality and always tried hard despite being a bit of a klutz, but no one teased or bullied her as you might expect in high school, you'd have to be completely evil to pick on someone as nice as Natalie. Besides she was friends with everyone.

Mr Hatton glanced over at the door again "Perhaps…" he said wearily, "but seeing as we don't know who this person is we can hardly go look for them." Mr Hatton sat up a bit straighter. "We'll wait a little bit longer, and if they don't turn up then we'll have to start our lesson."

So we waited another five minutes.

Mr Hatton stared defeated at the door before turning to us, "Ok, to start today's lesson…" he trailed of though at the sound of knocking at the classroom door. "Come in" Mr Hatton called hopefully.

The whole class was watching the door with anticipation as the handle of the door turned and opened. I'll admit even I leaned over slightly so that I could see better. The door pushed open and the slight figure of a girl walked in and stood at the front of the classroom.

She was about average height I reckoned, maybe a little on the small side, as well as being very thin. She was the sort of person who you'd imagine you could walk pass countless times and never notice because she was so unnoticeable. Except, of course, her hair. It seemed that this girl had tried to make herself noticeable by dying her hair. Green. Who dyes their hair green? Well obviously this girl. She's got long hair too, that falls around her waist in a pile of waves. She's looking around the class nervously her green eyes resting for a fraction of a second on each person as she takes in the class. Overall she's pretty, she's seems pretty nice too so far, albeit nervous but that seems normal. Who wouldn't be nervous?

"Why don't you introduce yourself?" Mr Hatton suggests, suddenly becoming aware that the class has been staring at the unusual girl for quite a while.

The girl turns to look at him for a moment before turning to face the class. Then, instead of telling us her name she opens a note book that she had clutched tightly in her arms, (why it wasn't in the bag she had slung over her shoulder I don't know.) and producing a pen out of nowhere she starts to write.

The whole class is staring at her completely dumbstruck, including Mr Hatton. She completely ignored him and started writing while stood at the front of the class. I think that's a new one for all of us. It's seems really rude too in my opinion, I mean she comes in late, with no apology, ignores the teacher when he spoke to her and now is ignoring everybody, how is that not rude?

Then the girl flips over her note book so that the class can see what she's written. She written it fairly large across the A4 page so that everybody can see it.

My name is Maisie. It's nice to meet you.

The whole class blinks simultaneously. Did she really just introduce herself by writing? Add that to the list of firsts too.

"Why didn't you just say that?" I don't even know I've spoken until the words are out.

A flicker of irritation crosses Maisie's face and she flips the page of her notebook over and starts writing again, long sweeping lines. Having finished she turns the notebook round again so that everyone can see the word she has written down in large letters that cover the page.

Mute.

I flinch as I realize my mistake. She can't speak. She wasn't purposely trying to be rude. She just can't communicate. I feel really bad for judging her now.

Mr Hatton looks surprised too, and shifts nervously on his feet. "Well Maisie, why don't you take a seat" he looks around the classroom and spots the empty seat next to me, "why don't you sit next to Jack?" he says pointing at me. "I'm sure he can help you get acquainted with the school, in fact Jack you can become her partner, show her around and all that."

Maisie walks over to me and takes the seat beside me silently. I frown at myself, how can she not be silent? It's not like she has a choice.

I glance over at Mr Hatton who has begun speaking to the class, but for once I'm not paying attention. I glance over at Maisie, who's sat back in her chair, barely listing by the look of it. I make up my mind quickly and sign sorry to her.

I know sign language really well because my little brother Jamie was born deaf so we use sign to communicate instead.

Maisie attention shifts to me, and I can see her watching me, confusion etched on her face. Thinking that she must have missed my apology I repeat it. The confusion doesn't leave her face. Instead it enters mine as well but I mask it pretty well. She doesn't know sign.

I'm kind of surprised sign is a much faster way of communicating than having to write everything down. I'd presumed that she hadn't used it before because she'd doubted anyone in the class would be able to understand sign.

Up at the front Mr Hatton is setting a writing task and I open my book obediently and stare down at the page with no clue what to write. Next to me Mr Hatton is handing a book to Maisie and going over the task (thankfully, because I heard nothing the first time) and making sure she knows what to do because she was studying something different at her last school.

The lesson drags on, but the sun is coming out through the clouds and peeks through the classroom window and the mood in the classroom lightens at the thought of a day where it's not cloudy and overcast ahead. As the sunlight dances through the classroom I spot a flash of light to my right and turn to see what is causing it to see that on the middle finger of Maisie's left hand she is wearing a small silver ring with a small green gem set in it.


Author's Note:

Thanks for reading! Please rate and review! Originally you were also going to be getting Maisie's point of view in this chapter but this was longer than I originally thought so that will have to be in the next chapter.

If you read my profile then you will know that I set myself a challenge to do a book recommendation for each chapter I write. So this this chapter (it's fairly obvious) I'm recommending:

Puella Magi Madoka Magica - the manga story.

It's really good because the characters are portrayed really well, and I think that most of you will have probably come from seeing the Anime. (which is also amazing so actually I'll recommend both)

Thanks very much - Sekaira