The Exchange Student

"Joe, it's okay. I'll be fine."

It was after lunch, and it was passing time.

Since Joe wasn't in any of my afternoon classes, he couldn't walk with me.

"Are you sure? I don't care if I'm late." Joe replied, and I shook my head.

"Joe, I'm sure. Just go to your classes. I'll see you and Nick after school."

Joe frowned, but then he gave me a small smile.

"Okay. I'll see you after school then."

I nodded as I walked to English.

It felt weird without having Joe by my side, but I think I'll manage.

I was just going up the ramp (there was a ramp that went up to the English and Foreign Languages wing), and there was another ramp that went down to the Science wing) when I bumped into someone, and fell down.

"Crikey! I'm so sorry!"

I looked up, hoping Marissa might have transferred, but who I saw wasn't Marissa.

The girl was quite tall (think of Taylor Swift in heels), has long, dirty blonde hair with natural highlights, and has blue eyes, and also has a splash of freckles a cross her nose.

"No, it's okay..." I responded, but the girl helped me up anyways.

"Still, I'm sorry. I didn't watch where I was going."

I looked in the direction of where she was going.

"Where were you going?" I asked.

The girl nodded at the stack of papers in her hands.

"I was going to make some copies for Mrs. Kosters. Want to come with me?"

I didn't have anything better to do besides sit in class, and not know a single soul.

"Sure. That'd be nice."

As we walked towards the office, she told me her name was Jess, and just the same, I told her my name was Ishani.

Jess's eyes got big.

"No way! You're the exchange student, aren't you? I heard so many things about you!"

I chuckled.

"I hope good things."

Jess frowned.

"Somewhat...a lot of talk about you living with The Jonas Brothers, mostly."

My smile faltered.

When people heard about my living arrangements, they instantly wanted to be my friend.

Jess saw my expression, and she quickly replied:

"Oh, no! No! Not that kind of stuff!"

I giggled nervously.

"Of course not...it's just that....when I tell people about my living arrangements, they instantly want to be my friend."

Jess nodded.

"Well, duh. That's a no brainer: meeting The Jonas Brothers. But, I won't be like that. I just met you, after all."

My smile brighten a little bit.

"Thanks. Hey....you didn't happen to move from England, have you?"

Jess nodded.

"We moved here a little while ago. Actually, I was in your class up until ninth grade."

I remembered a girl with dirty blonde hair and freckles in my class, and I nodded.

"Oh, I remember you! You were always so shy."

Jess nodded.

"But, I managed to break out of my shell a little bit."

Now, after remembering Jess, I felt a little guilty.

Me and Marissa would always hang out with each other, but we never had any other close friends.

There were classmates who were friends, but we were always together.

Jess looked at the class.

"We better head back."

I smiled as I followed Jess out of the office.

Just after one day of being at this school, I somehow made a new friend.