5. New Connections

Mary and Rosemary entered the bustling school campus of Castle Hill High School. The morning air was crisp with anticipation as they walked towards the main office, where Mary needed to submit her documents and receive her class schedule. Students hurried past them, some chatting excitedly, others deep in thought.

Inside the office, they were greeted by a friendly receptionist who directed them to the admissions desk. Mary approached the desk, her folder of documents clutched tightly in her hand. Rosemary stood beside her, a reassuring presence.

"Hello, I'm Mary Hansley," Mary introduced herself with a smile, handing over her documents to the admissions officer.

The officer, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes, nodded and began to review Mary's paperwork. "Welcome to Castle Hill High School, Mary. Let me get your schedule sorted out."

Mary glanced around the office, taking in the organized chaos of ringing phones and students coming and going. She felt a mix of excitement and nerves as she awaited her schedule.

Rosemary squeezed her shoulder gently. "You're doing great, Mary. This is going to be a wonderful new chapter for you."

Mary nodded, grateful for her mom's support. Soon, the admissions officer handed her a printed schedule and a map of the school. "Here you go, Mary. Your classes and homeroom are all set. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

"Thank you so much," Mary said warmly, taking the schedule and map. She glanced at the schedule, noting her first class and the locations of her other classes throughout the day.

Rosemary hugged Mary tightly before they parted ways in the hallway outside the office. "Good luck, sweetheart," she said with a warm smile. "You're going to do amazing here. I'll see you after school."

Mary smiled back, feeling a mix of excitement and gratitude. "Thanks, Mom. See you later!"

With a final wave, Rosemary turned and headed back towards the entrance of the school. Mary watched her go, feeling a sense of independence and readiness for her new journey at Castle Hill High School.

Mary walked into her first class at Castle Hill High School, feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement. She found an empty seat near the middle of the room and settled in, glancing around at her new classmates. The teacher, Ms. Williams, was already at the front, writing on the whiteboard.

Just as the lesson began, the classroom door creaked open. A tall boy with tousled hair strolled in, clearly late. Ms. Williams turned and gave him a stern look. "Tristin, nice to have you back," she said, her voice a blend of sarcasm and relief.

Tristin handed Ms. Williams a slip of paper, which she glanced at before nodding. "Alright, take a seat, and try not to make a habit of being late."

Tristin took a seat behind Mary, unable to resist the opportunity to have a little fun. He poked her lightly with his pencil and whispered, "Hey, new girl."

Without missing a beat, Mary turned slightly and replied, "Hey, old man."

A few nearby students stifled their laughter, and Tristin's teasing smile grew wider. "Old man, huh? That's a new one."

Mary shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "Guess you'll just have to keep up, then."

Tristin chuckled, impressed by her quick wit. "Challenge accepted," he said, leaning back in his seat.

Mary turned back to her notes, feeling a mix of nerves and amusement. Tristin's teasing didn't seem mean-spirited, and she couldn't help but feel a bit relieved that her first interaction with a new classmate had gone relatively smoothly, even if it was a bit unconventional.

As the class ended and students started packing up their belongings to head to their next classes, Mr. Williams called out, "Mary Hansley, could you stay for a moment, please?"

Mary paused, her curiosity piqued. She walked over to Mr. Williams's desk as the other students filed out of the classroom.

"Mary, I know it's your first day, and I want to make sure you have everything you need to catch up. You should get the class notes from our class representative," Mr. Williams explained kindly. He then looked around the room and called out, "Daisy, could you come here for a moment?"

A tall girl with curly hair and a warm smile approached them. "Yes, Mr. Williams?"

"This is Mary, our new student. Could you please give her the notes she missed and add her to the class group in the app?" Mr. Williams asked.

Daisy nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Hi, Mary! Welcome to our class." She handed Mary a neatly organized notebook. "These are the notes from last week. And I'll add you to our class group right now."

Daisy pulled out her phone, tapped a few buttons, and showed Mary the screen. "There you go. You should get an invitation to join the group. It's super helpful for staying updated with assignments and announcements."

Mary smiled, feeling a sense of relief and gratitude. "Thank you so much, Daisy."

"No problem at all," Daisy replied. "If you have any questions or need help with anything, just let me know."

As Mary left the classroom, she noticed Daisy quickly joining a group of friends waiting for her outside. They greeted her with smiles and laughter, clearly a close-knit group. Mary couldn't help but feel a pang of loneliness as she watched them walk away together.

She sighed and scoffed under her breath, "Of course, everyone has friends."

Mary clutched the notes Daisy had given her and headed to her next class, determined to make the best of her first day despite feeling a bit out of place.

Mary walked from the classroom towards her locker, feeling the weight of being the new student. As she approached her locker, she heard a voice calling out, "Hey, Jerry." She didn't realize it was directed at her until the voice called out again, "Hey, Jerry!"

Recognizing the voice from class, she turned to see Tristin standing there with a teasing grin. "It's Mary," she corrected him.

"Hi, I'm Tristin," he introduced himself.

"Hi," Mary replied, giving him a small smile.

"This class is really tough," Tristin said, leaning casually against the lockers.

"Yeah, and he told us that the exam would be on Thursday. I don't know what to do," Mary admitted, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Tristin's expression softened slightly. "Well, if you need help catching up, you can take my notes," he offered casually, his smirk never fading.

Mary, grateful for the gesture despite his teasing, replied sincerely, "That would be great."

"Yeah? How great?" Tristin continued to tease, taking a step closer, his playful demeanor evident.

Mary's eyes narrowed, and she replied with a savage retort,  "Great enough to make you rethink your seating choices." She flashed a mischievous smile and walked away, leaving Tristin chuckling behind her.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***