Dark eyebrows furrowed over dark eyes as I turned my face to the roiling clouds above me. Small raindrops patted my nose and cheeks, as if reassuring me that I'd make it through the day alright. The corners of my mouth turned down, not because I was disgruntled or particularly unhappy, but because I hadn't been expecting the rain.

My jacket therefore maintained its post in a heap at the foot of my bed, three miles away.

Hindsight twenty-twenty, I should have known the rain would come, because in eastern Washington, it always did. I was new here, though, so adjusting was just a part of what came with moving. I didn't mind. I'd been craving something new for a long time; anything would have done, but moving was the god of it all for me.

I gazed around my new school's parking lot at the meager four or five rows of parked cars, most of them old and not one with a splash of dried bird poop, courtesy, I assumed, of the constant rain. Three nicer cars, a Volvo, convertible, and Jeep, were parked in the last three parking spots, as far from the school as one could park. I wondered briefly who in this town could possibly have enough money for such expensive cars, but quickly decided it didn't matter.

I jumped as an ear-piercing bell abruptly signaled the beginning of first period, then rocked back on my heels, eyes widening.

This is not a good way to start your first day, I groaned internally, twisting to pull my worn gray backpack from my old truck. Slamming the creaky door hard in my momentary panic, I searched the side of the decidedly archaic brick high school. I sighed in relief as my eyes found their prize, a faded sign over a wooden door with chipped brown paint. OFFICE.

Hurrying toward the office door, I slipped on my backpack—and then slipped on myself.

"WHOO!" I shrieked as my feet came out from under me, landing on my backside with a very painful smack. My jeans were instantly drenched, and very uncomfortable. Groaning and cursing, I blew back a stray strand of long, dark brown hair and heaved myself up, continuing at a safer pace towards my destination.

I arrived inside the blessedly heated office soaking wet but in one piece. The office was small, with thin, cheap blue carpeting and a chipped wooden counter, behind which sat a plump, pleasant-looking woman with a brown bob and small, wire-rimmed glasses typing rapidly at a massively out-dated computer. The walls were plain and white, a little boring for my taste, and the lights needed to be changed.

I approached the woman behind the counter, waiting patiently for her to look up and notice me. After a solid minute, I realized that she didn't know that I was there. I cleared my throat quietly, clasping my hands in front of me in the way that I did when I was nervous. The woman jumped, her head snapping up so she could look at me. Her small, painted mouth dropped slightly open in surprise.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, darling, I didn't see you standing there! I'm so unused to having visitors during school hours, and oh, you know, the day just began, so—oh, and what am I rambling for? You're late for your classes!" The words tumbled from the woman's mouth in a rush. I leaned back a little, stunned.

"Um... Yeah. I'm new here," I said, twisting my fingers. "I don't have a schedule or anything."

She smiled. "Of course, of course! I should have known. I didn't recognize you, and of course I know all of the darling children here, it's such a small town, and—look here, honey, what's your name?"

I stared at her. "Uh. Joanna, ma'am. Joanna O'Connor."

"Are you now?" she said with a delighted little gasp. She clapped her hands lightly. "Of course, of course. Who else would you be? We don't get new people around here very often. I should have known. And what grade are you in, sweetie?"

"Eleventh," I supplied quickly. "I'm a junior."

"Yes, yes, of course, of course. I should have—"

"Known, yes," I cut her off, growing impatient. I offered a small apologetic smile, hoping she wouldn't get offended. "Can I have my schedule, please?"

"Oh! Where am I? Of course, of course, honey. Let me just print it out here..." The woman typed quickly on her keyboard and gave a series of clicks on the mouse. "There, honey, now it's printing." I was about to question her statement after listening closely before a loud, mechanical noise burst forth from underneath the desk.

And that would be the printer, I thought dully.

"It's a bit slow," the woman said reluctantly, leaning forward to place her chin in one hand. "So tell me, dear, where did you move here from?"

"Wenatchee."

"Oh, is that so? Why, that's a rather dry place." I could hear the distaste in her voice.

"It's okay. I don't mind the sand and dust so much," I told her, shrugging.

"Is that so? And what about those tumbleweeds I'm always hearing about?"

I allowed myself a small laugh. "They're not much of a nuisance unless there's a windstorm and you're trying to drive. They have a habit of getting under a car and sticking."

"Do they now?" she asked, eyes widening as though she'd had a revelation. In the brief lull of conversation, I noticed silence.

"Um, is my schedule done printing?" I asked, getting antsy as time went on. I hated missing class.

"Oh! Yes, my dear. And, of course, here is a map of the school. It looks like your first class is actually just down the hall, third door on your right. You can't miss it."

I thanked the woman graciously, taking the schedule and map from her and hurrying from the office, anxious to get to my class. I spotted the classroom the moment I stepped from over the office threshold. Not because of anything particularly special about that room, just that there was a boy standing in the hallway. He was tall and blond, with a baby face and sheepish expression. A thin balding man stood in front of the boy, hands on hips and a stern expression on his face.

"Do you understand me?" the man said harshly, his voice rising in volume in accordance to my ever-shortening distance.

"Yes, sir," the boy mumbled, baby-blue eyes glued to the floor.

"Good. Now get back in class and pay attention!"

The two were about to head back into the classroom before I sped my pace, lightly touching the teacher's elbow.

"Excuse me,sir," I said shyly as the man rounded impatiently on me.

"Yes, what?"

"Um, are you..." I glanced down at the schedule in my hands, shaking slightly with nerves that had no business being present, "Mr. Patton?"

"Yes," he repeated. "What do you want?"

I shuffled my feet. "I, um, I'm really sorry. I'm new. Joanna O'Connor? It's my first day and, um, this is my first period."

Mr. Patton's dark eyes lightened slightly behind his glasses in understanding, and suddenly his face seemed kind. "Oh, yes! Miss O'Connor, yes. I was wondering if you'd gotten lost."

"Yeah, something like that," I said, laughing in embarrassment. "I'm sorry I'm late, it won't happen again."

"I'm sure. Well, come on in, we're just beginning a new lesson." Mr. Patton led me into the classroom, and suddenly all the other students' eyes were on me. I looked down at my tennis shoes, once clean but now dark with rainwater and mud. "You can take a seat at the back beside Mr. Newton. Raise your hand, Mike."

The blond boy Mr. Patton had been yelling at in the hallway raised his arm, giving me a friendly smile. His eyes weren't nearly as terrifying as the other twenty-two pairs. I shuffled forward towards the empty desk beside him, watching my feet so as not to trip. Despite this, I stumbled at the last moment, catching my foot on a stray chair leg. My arm shot out, the center of my palm landing firmly on the corner of my desk. I let out a quiet gasp of relief, having quickly regained balance. I slid into my seat, keeping my eyes on the desk.

"Doin' okay there, new girl?"

I lifted my eyes to meet those of the friendly boy next to me. I bit my lip nervously.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine, just a bit rushed. Late, you know. Mike, right?"

His eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

My stomach sank a little. "That's your name, right?"

"Oh!" He smiled. "Yeah, sorry. Yeah, that's my name. And you are...?"

"Joanna," I supplied, giving a shy smile in return. "Nice to meet you."

"Newton!" Mr. Patton barked from the front of the classroom. Both Mike and I snapped our attention to the board, guilty expressions plastered over our faces. "Do not further your detention by distracting Miss O'Connor."

Mike smiled. "You got it, Lieutenant." He sent me a knowing wink before turning back to the lesson.