Yaaaaaawn.  Stretch.  First day of school in a new town today!  She hopes everyone will be nice!  Well, everyone's not gonna be nice, there's always a few jerks.  But most people are pretty great once you get to know them!  She's looking forward to it.  Nervous, but the good kind of nervous.

She climbs out of bed and puts on slippers and heads for the dining room - better to have breakfast before she brushes her teeth so the OJ doesn't taste gross.  Oooh, her mom made waffles today!  Thanks Mom!  In fact: "Thanks, Mom!"

Then brush her teeth, then get changed, actually come to think of it she's more nervous than she thought.  She packs her lunch, PB&J and a few apple slices, with lemon juice so they don't brown, and a water bottle and a bite-sized chocolate for dessert.  She packs her backpack, books and binders and sky-blue pencil case.  Her mom kisses her on the cheek and, "Love you!" "Love you too!" "Bye!" "Bye!" and she's off to the bus stop.

It's cold but thankfully there's no snow yet even though it's already a week into December.  They do seasons weird this far south.  No one else her age lives nearby enough to share the stop with her, so she doesn't meet anyone new until the bus has already pulled up and she's inside, navigating the cramped aisle and looking for a free seat.

"Hi!" she says brightly.  It's how she says most things; even as a teenager she's that kind of person.  "Can I sit here?"

Yaaaaaawn.  Stretch.  First day of school in a new town today!  She hopes everyone will be nice!  Well, everyone's not gonna be nice, there's always a few jerks.  But most people are pretty great once you get to know them!  She's looking forward to it.  Nervous, but the good kind of nervous.

She climbs out of bed and puts on slippers and heads for the dining room - better to have breakfast before she brushes her teeth so the OJ doesn't taste gross.  Oooh, her mom made waffles today!  Thanks Mom!  In fact: "Thanks, Mom!"

Then brush her teeth, then get changed, actually come to think of it she's more nervous than she thought.  She packs her lunch, PB&J and a few apple slices, with lemon juice so they don't brown, and a water bottle and a bite-sized chocolate for dessert.  She packs her backpack, books and binders and sky-blue pencil case.  Her mom kisses her on the cheek and, "Love you!" "Love you too!" "Bye!" "Bye!" and she's off to the bus stop.

It's cold but thankfully there's no snow yet even though it's already a week into December.  They do seasons weird this far south.  No one else her age lives nearby enough to share the stop with her, so she doesn't meet anyone new until the bus has already pulled up and she's inside, navigating the cramped aisle and looking for a free seat.

"Hi!" she says brightly.  It's how she says most things; even as a teenager she's that kind of person.  "Can I sit here?"

Yaaaaaawn.  Stretch.  First day of school in a new town today!  She hopes everyone will be nice!  Well, everyone's not gonna be nice, there's always a few jerks.  But most people are pretty great once you get to know them!  She's looking forward to it.  Nervous, but the good kind of nervous.

She climbs out of bed and puts on slippers and heads for the dining room - better to have breakfast before she brushes her teeth so the OJ doesn't taste gross.  Oooh, her mom made waffles today!  Thanks Mom!  In fact: "Thanks, Mom!"

Then brush her teeth, then get changed, actually come to think of it she's more nervous than she thought.  She packs her lunch, PB&J and a few apple slices, with lemon juice so they don't brown, and a water bottle and a bite-sized chocolate for dessert.  She packs her backpack, books and binders and sky-blue pencil case.  Her mom kisses her on the cheek and, "Love you!" "Love you too!" "Bye!" "Bye!" and she's off to the bus stop.

It's cold but thankfully there's no snow yet even though it's already the first of December.  They do seasons weird this far south.  No one else her age lives nearby enough to share the stop with her, so she doesn't meet anyone new until the bus has already pulled up and she's inside, navigating the cramped aisle and looking for a free seat.

"Hi!" she says brightly.  It's how she says most things; even as a teenager she's that kind of person.  "Can I sit here?"