On a cool Monday morning, it was the day after winter break. All the students were walking into school with red cheeks, chattering teeth, exhausted and lifeless looks. Michael was hovering by his friend Tommy’s locker, and getting ready to go to his homeroom.
“Did you finish the math homework last night?” Michael asked. Michael looked around to make sure any teachers weren’t listening.
“No, I forgot that we had it,” Tommy replied. Michael sighed disappointedly. His friend is very smart, but he never had the motivation to get any homework done. Michael went to grab his things from his locker that he’d need for his first half of classes, but before he got into his class, Mr. Wright began to yell at him.
“Get into your homeroom. Another thirty more seconds and I’m marking you late!” Michael rushed hurriedly into his homeroom, grabbed his computer, and slumped down into his desk. A few minutes later, the bell rang for the first period, so Michael headed to Algebra. He went to half of his classes, and before he knew it, it was time for lunch. As Michael was walking into the hallway, he recognized Joey, one of his closest friends. He was walking in front of Michael with Tommy. Michael walked up to Joey, and tapped on his shoulder to get his attention. Joey then turned around and questioned, “Did you order lunch today?” Michael knew that he hadn’t ordered lunch, but he wanted to check his lunch box anyway to see what his mother had packed him.
“No, my mom packed my lunch for me last night. I don’t really like the school’s burgers.”
Michael and his group all sat down together at the same lunch table where they always sit. Michael and all his friends were telling jokes, laughing together, and talking about the basketball game that occurred the previous night. They’ve been friends with each other since Michael moved in fourth grade. They would ride bikes together, play sports, play video games, and just make unforgettable memories together. Their bond as a group was unbreakable. When lunch was over, everyone piled into the hallways, and prepared themselves for the second half of the day. When everyone got back to the main hallway, everybody went silent and stopped everything they were doing. Confused, Michael and his friends turned the corner to see the principal walking with what looked to be a new student.
“It must be another new kid,” Michael’s friend mumbled quietly. The group of boys split apart, and continued slowly to their lockers. Michael went to his second half of classes and didn’t think anything of it. Unlike the first half of his day, the majority of Michael’s friends were in his final classes. A few hours later, Michael and his friends all began to walk to their extra period class. During their extra period, everyone was preparing for the upcoming physics presentation. The door then creaked open, and the new student walked into the class. He looked very shy and nervous when he noticed that everybody had been looking at him. He then put his head down, and walked to an open desk. Some students continued to stare, but most just decided to go back to what they were doing.
“Watch this,” Michael’s friends snickered. Michael glanced over as the boy sat down. Michael’s friend rolled up a piece of paper, and threw it. The paper ball hit the back of the boy’s head. Everyone in the group began to laugh hysterically – everyone besides Michael. He had been new to a school before, so he knew what it was like being pushed around. Michael knew that throwing the paper ball was wrong, but he decided not to say anything because it wasn’t serious.
The next day, rain was hitting the ground, and Michael’s jacket was drenched with water. Soaking wet, all of the students sluggishly walked into school with the same look on their faces as they had yesterday. Michael noticed that once again, everybody was constantly looking at the new kid. Nobody was being rude to him, but he seemed bothered by everyone staring at him. He had a confused and upset look on his face as he walked into his homeroom class. Michael felt terrible, but didn’t know if he should try to talk to him. Later that day, a few more classes went by, and Michael was leaving his class to use the bathroom. Before he walked into the bathroom, he looked over at the lockers. He saw his two friends talking together, so he decided to walk over to them.
“What’s up guys,” Michael quietly whispered. Michael’s friends looked over at him, but didn’t reply. As Michael continued to walk over, he saw the new kid step out of class and quietly shut the door behind him. Michael’s stomach dropped, and his hands became sweaty and clammy. As the new kid was walking by Michael’s friends, he accidentally bumped into one of them, and their books dropped onto the floor. It was almost as if everything was in slow motion, and Michael had known that this was gonna happen right when the new kid stepped out of class. The two of his friends walked over, and pushed him onto the ground for bumping into them.
“Watch out Michael! You saw what he did!” At first, Michael thought of his friends, and how long they’d been friends, remembering all the things that they’ve gone through together. Michael then thought about how he had felt when he was new to the school. He remembered being nervous, and not having many friends. Without hesitation, he rushed over and stepped between his friends and the new kid.
“It was a mistake, just let him go,” Michael pleaded. .
“Whatever,” Tommy proclaimed as he walked away. Joey shook his head in disbelief, and walked right behind Tommy in the opposite direction. Michael looked down at the new kid to reach out his hand, and help him.