Melissa walked in to her new high school uneasy about what was yet to come. She had just moved to Cape Town, South Africa. She wasn't sure what to do, she wasn't aware of how to act around them. She walked out of the guidance counselor, toward her first period. She walked inside her first period, English IV. Melissa was 16 but headed into her senior year because she was advanced and the school system was set up differently.  She walked in and tripped over her feet and fell flat on her face. The entire class looked at her with open mouths and then started laughing. She stood up and walked over to her the nearest empty seat an took a seat. The teacher, Mr. Spetson, didn't even ask her name or anything. He just left her there not saying anything. When the bell rang everyone got up and rushed out of the door and Melissa went over to the teacher to ask what she needed to do to catch up. She had transferred in the middle of the semester, so she was a little behind.
“Well we just started reading To Kill a Mockingbird” Mr. Spetson stated
“Um I’ve already read that, what should I do?” Melissa questioned
“I'll talk to the principles to see what they want me to do, I'll let you know.” he said
Melissa was late to her second period, which was PE. She didn't mid physical activity but she feel like it today so she sat on the bench while the others played soccer. She was joined on the bench by a tall skinny boy with shaggy blonde hair, Joe.
“I hate the class, I don't run and sure as hell don't like being sweaty.” he said
“Oh Hi my names Melissa, I’m new here.”
“Clearly.”
She stayed quite, unsure of what to say.
“I’m Joe, I have a feeling we are going to be friends.” he said
“Oh really?” she questioned
“ Yep, you need someone to help you navigate around here and i’ll be your guide.”
“Okay, do you know where the art room is?
“Yeah it's on the first floor fourth door down on the right. I'll take you.”
Once the bell rang she waited outside the locker room for him to change which actually didn't take that long surprisingly. He walked her to the art room and told her that he would meet her after to help her find her other classes. Once she walked into the room she was greeted by three not so lovely people.  The brunette in the middle looked so angry, as if Melissa had kicked her puppy. The other two just seemed along for the ride. Soon the girl in the middle was questioning Melissa left and right. Where was she from, How does she know Joe, Why she moved here. Melissa got the feeling that this girl was Joe’s girlfriend.
“Oh I’m sorry I didn't mean to overstep or anything, Joe is just showing me around. I didn't know he had a girlfriend.”
“He is not my boyfriend but he is off limits.” she said
“Uh ok. I’m not planning on dating him, I just need to find my way around.”
The class all sat down and there didn't look to be an empty seat around so she went up to the teacher and the teacher sat her right next to her desk as if she was a five year old in trouble at kindergarten. The class went smoothly, no falling and no fights. When it was over she went to meet up with Joe after class but the brunette already beat her to it. She was all over him, and he didn't seem into it but at the same time he didn't really seem not into it. Melissa just went off to her next class but Joe caught up to her and asked her where she was going. She had no idea.
“History.”
“Okay, you're going the completely wrong direction.”
They walked to history and they exchanged numbers, easily communicate. She walked in and sat down. She didn't want to be here anymore and she was really starting to get homesick. The class was silent working on some worksheet that the teacher clearly printed off of the internet, when her phone went off. Everyone turned to look at her, the teacher didn't seem to care. She looked down and saw a text from an unknown number. When she opened it she knew it was from Joe, he had asked her what her next class was. She said it was free period with Mr. Place. He sent back a good luck with that text back. She was so confused, he told her that he is known to be the most boring teacher in the entire school and seems to mad at every little thing that students do. She sent back the scared face emoji and he sent back a laughing emoji. They met up after history and he walked her to Mr.Places class. The second you got near the room you could notice that he was also the head football coach. He immediately noticed Joe.
“How’s my number one kicker?” he screamed halfway down the hallway
“I’m fine, just showing Melissa here around.” Joe said.
“Oh my new student” he said. He was the first teacher to bring it up first instead of letting me embarrass herself.
“Yep well I got to get to class” He told him,
“See ya later Melissa” he shouted winking at her while she walked in. She was almost done with day is all she could think when she sat down. A few minutes after the bell she felt her phone buzz, she looked down and saw a text from him that was asking why she moved here. She was hoping that people wouldn’t really ask. She had been through a lot and didn't want to talk about it with some new stranger she just met. She replied by saying it's a long story. He told her that they should meet up later and talk. She said sure. Once class was over she went straight to the bathroom and called her dad to get her out of school. He dad picked her up 15 minutes later. Joe was texting her like crazy asking her where she was but she didn't feel like answering. He finally took the hint.
Around 7 o'clock her dad came upstairs and told her that there was someone here to see her. She had no idea who it could be. When she got down stairs she saw, Joe standing there. They took a walk to talk and she told him pretty much all of it and he really seemed to care. He was listening and no pressuring her to talk about it. By the time they had circled back home it was almost 9:30, she told him she had to go inside. As he walked her to the door,
“Thank you for telling me all of that.” he said as he leaned down and kissed her softly and pulled her in for a hug.  After he walked away she headed inside to see her dad standing in the kitchen doorway smiling.
“That was the first time I’ve seen you smile in a long time.” he said. She looked down and blushed. She went to bed that night with a giant smile on her face.  When she woke up for school in the morning she put on a floral dress and tied her hair back in a cute braid. She looked better today than yesterday, she was excited for something for the first time in god knows how long. 
She met Joe at the front entrance, and they walked to class together like they did the day before. She had no idea about what the angry brunette was gonna do, which she recently learned her name is Suzy. Suzy immediately met her at the front door.
“What do you think your doing?” she said
“I don't understand what you mean?”
“You’ve been warned.” she said criptically.  Melissa sat down in her chair right next to the teacher, where she was yesterday. When the class was over she met Joe halfway down the hallway farther away from Suzy. Melissa felt everyone staring at her but she brushed it off, Joe smiled but then looked worried. He immediately grabbed her and put his gigantic letterman jacket over her and rushed her to the side of an abandoned hallway.
“Melissa, did you start your period or something?”
“No what's happening?” she immediately started freaking out.
“Melissa your dress is covered in red stuff.”
“Oh no! Stupid Suzy. She did this. I have to go.” she freaked out and walked out the side
door. He followed her.
“Melissa come with me i’ll take you home.” he said. They got in his giant truck and headed toward her house. When they got there she lost it and started crying, he reached over and hugged her. She felt so comforted, she hasn't felt like this in awhile. She headed into the house with Joe and she headed to change. When she came back she saw him sitting there waiting,
“Why do you think this is Suzy?”
“Because she told me that I had been warned.”
“Well I don't know, but that is so not fair.”
They spent the rest of the afternoon watching movies. The next day, Joe picked her up for school and they walked in to school to see Suzy standing there with a group of girls standing behind her with there arms crossed.