A Quiet Corner

It was a new year at a new school. Holly didn't know any of the students here. She was afraid to look at anyone, and she hoped no one would bother her. She hid behind her messy hair. She wished that all her friends could have moved with her so that they could all go to this new school. The only thing that gave her some comfort was a little plush cartoon character attached to her backpack. She felt it swing and jingle the keyrings that connected it to her backpack zipper, guarding her belongings from robbers. On TV, this character had the power to turn invisible.  

By a week into the school year, Holly had found all the quiet spots to sit at lunch, far from the crowded tables and from the hallways where the bullies might be found. She wished she did not have to stand in the cafeteria line, even though her parents reminded her that it saved money to eat at the cafeteria, but her stomach always had the last word. When she stood in the cafeteria line, she would tap her feet and squeezed her fingers. For the first week, no one had bothered her, and while she felt very alone, at least it was quiet.

 But one day her quiet was disturbed. During recess, while walking to her corner by a gate that led to the bungalows, someone addressed her by naming the plush guardian on her backpack. The voice had singled her out, and her heart dropped. She turned around, feeling embarrassed and anxious. A tall kid wearing glasses approached her with a smile.

"That's my favorite TV show!" said the tall kid, pointing at the plush character.

"Mine too," said Holly, still unsure and wondering if she was being tricked. She started walking again, but in a different direction. The last thing she wanted was for some bully to find her favorite spot. The tall kid walked with her.

"My name is Crystal," said the tall kid.

"I'm Holly," said Holly. After hearing Crystal tell her name, she felt less anxious.

"I don't have too many friends," said Crystal.

"I don't have any friends," said Holly. "I just moved here from a different town,"

"It must be a good town if they like my favorite TV show," said Crystal.

"It's a good town," said Holly.

"I bet they don't have bullies like they do here," said Crystal.

Holly didn't know how to answer. Suddenly she realized that the two of them were walking towards a crowded place. She turned, and Crystal turned too.

"Did you get bullied?" said Holly. She looked at Crystal, who was tall and wore glasses, and she looked at her shoes, which were scuffed up pink tennis shoes. She wished she could wear shoes like that, only they would be bright green! Crystal seemed like someone who wasn't afraid to express herself. Holly brushed back her messy hair. They walked and talked together for the rest of recess. Crystal did most of the talking, but eventually, Holly felt like talking too, and by the end of recess, she was even laughing. Holly had made a friend.  

Holly's teacher was loud, and he had the eyes of a hawk. No one was allowed to doodle or daydream in his class. For the first week of school, Holly had no trouble focusing, because there wasn't much else to think about. But after making her first friend at this new school full of strangers, she couldn't stop thinking about how happy she felt. She couldn't wait to meet up with Crystal at the gate by the bungalows, so that they could have lunch together and talk about their favorite things.  

"Holly, stop doodling! Earth to Holly!" the teacher said.

Lunchtime came. Standing in the cafeteria line, even though she tapped her feet and squeezed her fingers like always, this time she felt different than before. Instead of being worried about meeting someone, she was excited to see her new friend again. She hurried to the gate by the bungalows, and there was Crystal, holding a bag and eating string cheese.  

"Sorry I kept you waiting," said Holly, feeling a little ashamed.

"It's okay. I heard the school pizza is actually pretty good. Next time I'll go to the cafeteria line so I can find you."

Holly and Crystal ate lunch and talked in the quiet little corner by the bungalows, but now Holly wanted the whole school to see that she had made a friend! So after eating they picked up and walked through all the halls and open spaces and talked about everything.

"It's my birthday tomorrow!" said Crystal.

Holly became excited. Her mom had just bought eggs. What a perfect time to bake cookies!  

"Would you like me to bake you cookies with frosting on top?" said Holly.

"Really?" said Crystal. "That means we are best friends!"

"I'll bring you the cookies tomorrow!" said Holly.

But their joy was cut short, when three kids called out to Crystal. 

"Hey beanstalk!" they cried, "what's with your shoes?" It was the sound of bullies. Holly could hear it in the way they said every word.

"This isn't good," said Crystal, rolling her eyes. "They don't like me one bit". 

Holly and Crystal tried to veer away from the bullies, but this only seemed to excite them.

"Where are you going? And who is your friend?" they said. "Hey, Beanstalk! Tell us about your favorite TV show! Ha ha ha!"

Holly had had enough of this talk!

"Leave my friend alone! Don't bother us!" Holly felt her heart start to race, but she held on to her courage, even as the bullies turned their attention to her.

"And why don't you comb your hair, Cousin It? You're both so sad!"

Just as Holly felt tears about to fill her eyes, Crystal replied: "Don't be mean to her, I know you don't like me! Pick on me if you have to but leave her alone! Let's get out of here."

They hurried away, and the bullies decided not to chase them. Now that Holly had a friend, the bullies didn't seem so scary anymore.

After lunch was over, Holly felt happy.

"Holly, stop doodling! Earth to Holly!" Said her teacher. Holly wished she could stay after school and walk with her new friend Crystal, but her parents always wanted to take her home right away. Once she was home, she set about baking the cookies she promised Crystal for her birthday tomorrow.

"Mom, may I have two eggs?" said Holly.

"Your father needs those for his breakfast, dear," said her mother.

"But I need to bake cookies for my friend's birthday." Holly was dismayed.

"A friend? That's wonderful, dear! You made a friend! But right now we can't afford to have you using up our eggs and butter on a bunch of cookies!"

Holly felt like crying. "What If I made just one cookie?" she asked.

"Well," said her mother, "all right, but only after you finish your chores and your homework."

So, Holly did her chores and her homework, always with her mind on baking that one single cookie. She didn't dare to ask about birthday frosting to put on top. When she finished with her chores and her homework, and everything else she was supposed to do, it was nine o'clock in the evening.

"I'm sorry, dear," said her mother, "But it's time for bed."

Holly's heart sank. Her father agreed with her mother that it was time for bed. Holly felt like crying, but she saved it for when she finally lay down. She sank into an uneasy sleep.

The next day, Holly felt guilty for breaking her promise to bring birthday cookies to her new friend Crystal. She was too ashamed to face Crystal, and instead she decided to hide from her. I'll think of something to give her instead, she thought, and I'll bring it tomorrow. So she spent recess and lunch sneaking about, and she didn't stand in the cafeteria line, even though she was hungry. It seemed that she had made it through the day without being detected, but as she was walking out of the main gate to be picked up, a familiar voice stopped Holly in her tracks.

"There you are!" said Crystal.

"Crystal, I-" Holly didn't know what to say. In fact, more than anything she wished she could turn invisible like her favorite cartoon character.

"I saw you sneaking around. You weren't in the cafeteria line. Are you okay?"

Holly, too afraid to tell the truth, decided to lie. "It was the bullies! They took your birthday cookies!"

"What?" said Crystal. "We have to get them back!"

"We do?" said Holly, under her breath.

"I'll report it to the principal tomorrow!"

"I can just get you a different present-"

"No! Those cookies are special! See you tomorrow! Let's make a plan!"

Holly's mother pulled up her car, and Holly said goodbye to Crystal with a smile and a wave, but underneath she felt more anxious than ever. Through her homework and her chores she worried. She couldn't think of anything to give Crystal that might change her mind about getting back these imaginary cookies. She tossed and turned in her sleep, and the next day she was tired and full of dread.  

At recess, Holly and Crystal met at the quiet spot near the gate by the bungalows.

"Let's go to the office and report this cookie theft!" said Crystal.

"Alright," said Holly, looking down.

"What's wrong, Holly?" said Crytal.

"I just...want you to have those cookies," said Holly.  

Every step towards the office made Holly feel more anxious. This is getting out of control, she thought, but she still couldn't find the courage to tell Crystal the truth, that there were never any cookies, and that she told a lie. Suddenly they were headed off by none other than the three bullies!

"Where are you two off to, the freak convention?" They laughed and sneered.

Crystal stamped her foot. "Surrender the cookies, you thieves!"

"What are you talking about Beanstalk?" they said. "Don't hurt your poor pink shoes! Ha ha ha! Surrender the cookies! Are you a little baby? Ha ha ha!"

Holly grabbed Crystal's arm. "Come on, let's go before something happens", but Crystal refused to budge.

"No, Holly!" Said Crystal. We're going to report you bullies if you don't confess!"

"You're not reporting anything, Beanstalk, unless you want to get dumped in the trash!"

Finally, Holly summoned her strength and dragged Crystal away, back the way they came. Crystal kept shouting at them, but the bullies seemed to be satisfied and didn't follow them. Holly dragged Crystal all the way back to the quiet spot by the bungalows.

"Let go, Holly!" Crystal said at last, "aren't you upset?"

"Yes," said Holly, "But...I have a confession to make". Holly's heart quickened, and she felt like a big wave was about to crash on top of her, but enough was enough.

"There were no cookies. I never baked them." She began to sob. "And then I lied to you about it. I'm so sorry"

Holly cried for 5 minutes in front of Crystal, who said nothing. Finally Holly looked up at Crystal, and Crystal's eyes were warm and she smiled slightly.

"It's okay, Holly." she said, "maybe you don't know it, but you've given me the best birthday gift of all. A friend."

After that, Holly and Crystal stuck together like glue, and although Holly's little lunch corner was never so quiet as it used to be, it was all the more the spot she loved the best.