The Trails of Friendship

The Trials of Friendship

By E. Kay

            Isabella was worried. Today was her first day at a new school. She had just moved to Freedom’s Park a few days ago. Isabella wondered what the school would be like, and the teachers. But most of all, she wondered about the kids.

            “Bella! Hover bus is here!”

            Mom’s voice cut through Isabella’s thoughts like a knife. She grabbed her stellar pad and ran down the stairs. There she  strapped on her jet pack boots and rushed out the door. She climbed into the hover bus and looked around. All the cool kids up front didn’t want to sit near her, so she sat in the back with the unpopular kids.

            At school, everyone was flying around with their boots, except for Isabella. She got many looks, some of which were will-you-look-at-her-clothes, oh-look-it’s-the-newbie and bubble-gum-on-shoe. She dodged air currents and feet on her way to class. Isabella arrived just before the tardy bell rang. More bubble-gum-on-shoe looks. Ms. Starr, the teacher, got everyone’s attention and class began.

            “Class, listen up. We have a new student with us today. Please try to make her welcome here. Isabella Moon, will you please stand up.”

            Isabella stood. All of the students seemed to be judging her. What would they think of her old red and gray stellar suit? Her ratty black hair? Her plain brown eyes? Isabella attempted a smile and tried to appear friendly. The class wasn’t fooled.

            “Isabella, would you please tell us what planet or moon you came from?” Ms. Starr asked. “And the colony, please.”

            “Friendship Plaza on Mars.” Isabella whispered.

            “Those losers!” hollered one kid near her.

            The kids roared with laughter as Isabella sat down. Her face was a brighter red than her suit.

            “Class!” barked Ms. Starr. “Get to your blank screen and zip it!” There was an audible snap. “Type your name, 2050, and then type a three page essay about why we don’t tease others at school. I expect it to be turned in by lunch.”

            The students whined and groaned. There was a chorus of “But Ms. Starr…”

            Ms. Starr cut them off. “I don’t want to hear it. Get to work, all of you. Isabella, you can type a paragraph about yourself.”

            The only sound after that was the sound of fingers on stellar-pads. As she typed, she thought of how her day had been. She liked the teachers. They were nice. She didn’t like the kids who teased her and gave her mean and weird looks. She realized she was dreading school tomorrow. She shook her head and got to work.

            ‘My name is Isabella Moon and I moved here from Friendship Plaza on Mars. My favorite thing to do is read and I live with my mom. My mom is an author and she works from home. My favorite thing to do with her is go to the movies. My favorite movie is Earthbound, the one about when humans could only live on earth. My best friend lives in Friendship Plaza. Her name is Kelly and we used to tinker and improve our stellar wear. I want to make friends here, but everyone is so mean and I’m too shy.’

            Isabella sent her teacher the paragraph and lined up for lunch. At lunch, Isabella tried to sit with the other kids, but they would move whenever she sat at their table. At recess she played alone. The whole school seemed to have something against her. On the hover bus she sat alone. Even the unpopular kids didn’t want to risk being caught with her.

            At last she stepped off the bus and trudged into her house. She tried to avoid her mother and crept into her room. She dropped her stuff and crawled into bed. Her mother knocked on the door and came in. The bed creaked as she sat on it. Isabella felt her hand running along her back. They sat there for half an hour like that. Finally Mom spoke.

            “How was school sugarcane?”

            Those gentle words were all it took. Isabella broke into tears and her whole story came out between sobs. Mom sat and listened to the whole thing. When Isabella was done, she sat and held her for another ten minutes. Finally, when Isabella stopped crying, Mom spoke.

            “Bella, honey, don’t worry about what they think. Just do your best to make friends. You’re you, not them. You can’t make them like you, you can’t make them be your friends. But you have someone you can always count on. God is always going to be your friend. Others will fail you, but He will never fail you. You can rely on Him.”

            Isabella nodded and rolled over. Mom left her room and she went to sleep. The next day, she got on the hoverbus and everyone avoided her like they did the day before. The only thing that had changed was Isabella’s attitude. She smiled at everyone and ignored their jibes. She went through the day with a smile on her face and a spring in her step. She did the same the day after that and the day after that. Slowly, the kids warmed up to her. First, the unpopular kids became her friends. Then, the popular kids.

            By the end of the year, Isabella had broken through the walls that had separated outcast, unpopular, and popular kids. And in everything, she always turned people to God, not herself. She is a godly example to us all. Our trials may be different. Our trials may take longer. But in our trials we too can lead others to God.