The Girl In School

The Girl In School

On Monday morning, Lena stomped through the school gates, her backpack swinging like a wrecking ball. She had slept badly, forgotten her homework, and lost her favorite pencil. Everything felt annoying.

In the hallway, a boy bumped her shoulder by accident. 'Watch it!' Lena snapped, giving him a shove. When another kid laughed at her grumpy face, she snapped again, shouting until a teacher glared.

By the time the bell rang, most of the kids were whispering, 'Stay away from Lena today.' She argued with a girl over a chair, and fussed at a boy for tapping his pencil. Lena felt like a storm cloud walking through the school.

Then she reached her new math class and saw a boy sitting alone, drawing tiny dragons on his notebook. His name tag said ARICK. Lena marched over, ready to claim the desk beside him.

“Is anyone sitting here?” she demanded. Arick looked up calmly. “Nope. But if you’re planning to yell at me, maybe try it after math. I really like math.”

Lena blinked. No one had ever answered her anger like that. She snorted, half a laugh, half a growl. “Fine. I’ll save my yelling for later.”

During the lesson, Arick quietly slid an extra pencil toward her when he noticed she didn’t have one. It was the same kind she’d lost. “You look like you need this more than I do,” he whispered.

Something in Lena’s chest softened. For the first time that day, she mumbled, “Thanks.” They worked together on a tough problem, arguing, but in a fun way this time.

At recess, Arick asked, “Want to play four square? We still have a whole school to conquer—but maybe not with fists.” Lena laughed.

They played until the bell rang again, and Lena didn’t fight with anyone else. By the end of the day, kids were whispering something new: 'Did you see Lena and Arick? I think they’re friends now.' And for once, Lena didn’t mind what they said at all.