Title: The New Girl

Disclaimer: I don't own Joan of Arcadia or "The Passion of The Christ."

The teacher stood up in front of the class.

"Class, may I have your attention please?"

"We have a new student, her name is Mackenzie and I hope that you will make her feel welcome."

Mac walked over, then she took a seat by a girl with Brown hair.

"Hey, I'm Joan Girardi"

"Hey Joan, it's nice to meet you."

"Same here," Joan said

Adam who was seated beside Joan, decided that he should be friendly too.

"Hey, I'm Adam Rove."

"It's nice to meet you, Adam."

"What?" Grace Polk said as Mac looked her way.

Joan quickly spoke up. "This is Grace Polk."

"Girardi, I know my own name," Grace said as she gave Joan a dirty look.

Mackenzie's face was fixed on a boy with blonde hair and glasses.
"Who's this?" Mack asked as she eyed the young man.

"Oh him, that's my dorky brother Luke," Joan said with a laugh.

Luke and Mac locked eyes for a split second.

"Hi," Luke said as he looked at Mac.

25 minutes later, class ended and Joan headed for her locker to get her History book for her next class.

As she opened her locker,Almighty God appeared beside her.

"Hey Joan, I want you to do something for me."

"What now?" Joan ask with a groan in her voice.

"You probably want me to end world hunger or something," Joan said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

"Get to know the new girl," Almighty God said.

"Why?" Joan asked.

"Don't you ever get tired of asking me that question?" Almighty God respoded to her.

"I didn't ask you to prove that you are God this time," Joan said.

God waved at Joan as he left.

As she looked up, she saw Mac headed down the hall to her next class.

Joan rushed to catch up to Mac.

"What are you doing in Arcadia?" Joan ask.

"I used to live in Colorado, but my grandma got sick and mom and I moved back here to take care of her."

"What about your dad? Joan asked.

"He died in a skiing accident last month," Mac said as she hung her head.

"I'm sorry, Joan said."

"My dad's in Heaven now with Jesus," Mac said.

"With who?" A stunned Joan asked.

"You've never heard of Jesus Christ? Mac asked as they came to the door that lead to History Class.

"Yeah, I've heard a little about him, Joan said.

"We will talk more later," Mac said as she took a seat.

"I'd like that," Joan said as she took her seat.

History class went smoothly.

Later on in the cafeteria, Joan & Adam discuss the new girl.

Joan starts the conversation.

"I talked to Mackenzie in the hallway," Joan said to Adam.

"Where is she from?" Adam asked Joan.

"She is from Colorado," Joan said as she took a bite of her burger.

"That doesn't explain why she came here," Adam said as he dipped a french fri in ketchup.

"Her grandma beacame very sick, so Mac and her mom moved back to care for her," Joan said between bites of burger and fries.

"Are her parents divorced?" he asked before he put the fri in his mouth.

"I'm not sure, but she told me that her dad died in a skiing accident last month.

Meanwhile, Mac was sitting thinking and praying silently to herself.

"Lord, please let me make a difference in at least one persons life today."

"In your name I pray Amen."

Everyone had gathered in the gym after running laps.

Joan noticed that Mac had left shortly thereafter, she returnned a few minutes later with a stack of flyers under her arm.

Joan saw Mackenzie handing out flyers, the first couple of handoffs went smoothly.

Before she knew what hit her, a rough looking girl grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and shoved her against the wall.

"I don't want nothing to do with you or this Jesus guy, you got that!" The girl said in an angry voice.

Then she released her, crumppled the flyer into a ball, threw it on the ground, stomped it and walked away.

In the process of Mac being shoved, the flyers now lay scattered on the floor.