[u]Jackalyn Walker[/u]

Jackalyn collapsed into a sitting position beside Sylvia, glaring out to the other students with her back hunched, shoulders drawn in, and holding her blackened fingertips with her other hand whilst a sheet of fiery red hair fell to the side, obscuring her view. This position also made little work of her low-cut vest top, revealing a fair bit of her (admittedly small) assets to the world; not like Jackalyn seemed to care that much, or have the body language of someone who'll accept that kind of crap.

In fact, her body language was really speaking for her. The hunched shoulders, withdrawn position...without Jackalyn really noticing it, she was subconsciously giving out a sulky, angry mood just in the way she sat. Not to mention the fact she wasn't looking at people, but glaring at them - eyebrows creased, lifted lip in a snarl - it looked like she was actively trying to push people away.

And yet, when she turned to look at Sylvia, she stopped glaring and surveyed her with a calculating gaze and a little twitch of the mouth to what would be a smile if it kept on that face of hers long enough. She seemed determined to make at least one friend. At the very least. Then she could go back to being shy by flipping the middle finger at everyone else, but [i]just this one time,[/i] Jackalyn had to make a friend who wasn't related to her.

Seemingly, Jackalyn picked up on the subtle hint that Sylvia was playing nice too; she swore every other sentence (Jackal couldn't figure out whether or not that was just her attitude, or her upbringing) but her words were friendly and at least her body language wasn't the dictionary definition of 'go shove your face in a blender instead of talking to me'. This was a good thing. Jackal managed to figure out a few years back that it's easier making pals with someone who either [i]has[/i] to be your friend or [i]wants[/i] to be your friend, and from the look of it, Sylvia sat in both categories.

When she asked for a more detailed introduction, Jackalyn froze up for a minute. Well, better to say the truth than lying, right? It's going to pop up eventually, and if she makes fun of it, Jackalyn will just kick her teeth in and request for a new roomie...

"Jackalyn Walker," replied Jackal with a bit of a strain on her voice - it was as if she was forcing the full name out. "I-...I live in a small log cabin right on the base of the Rockies, and most of the people I met were at least a decade older than me." she continued, looking away from Sylvia, folding her arms protectively, physically drawing herself in, her body language becoming simultaneously more scared and more hostile by the minute. 

"And this is my first day in school. Any school. Ever."

Jackalyn stole a glance up at Sylvia hopefully, flashing a nervous grin as the realisation tumbled right down upon her like a pile of bricks with nails stuck to them. [i]This was her first day of school.[/i] Everyone else was probably way smarter than her, knew all the cool TV shows, fashion, celebrities and all Jackal could talk about were her brothers, her exercise routine, what books she reads and how she once wrestled a bear into submission, but none of those subjects were remotely interesting to any modern teenager, right?

Jackalyn sighed. She felt like there was a massive bubble separating her from everyone else, and she knew that Brooksy and Derek were also on the other side of this bubble somewhere, probably trying to make friends of their own, because they sure as hell ditched Jackalyn after all she's ever done for them. Just like Rosie. Just like Florence. God damnit.

"Alright, you can laugh now if you want by the way." grunted Jackal, clenching her blackened hand and her good hand into fists. This conversation was going to end up in one of two locations in about five minutes; the classroom, or the hospital.