Moving in
Prologue
We're moving. I don't know where, but I don't want to move.
I'd have to leave my friends, my school, well... my friends at school!
Mom told me that we'd be leaving by the end of this term.
I'd have to leave my friends, my school, well... my friends at school!
Mom told me that we'd be leaving by the end of this term.
I can't imagine moving, it's like starting a new life without wanting to.
I'd have to be the new boy in school, be the newbie with no friends.
I just want to stay here, at home.
I'd have to be the new boy in school, be the newbie with no friends.
I just want to stay here, at home.
* *
Today is the day. We're all packed up and the moving van
is waiting outside. How can Sophie be so excited in moving?
Well, she doesn't have to change nursery so she'll still be
with her friends, not like me, I'll have to leave my only friends.
It's hard for me to make friends, I'm not cool like the other boys
so they won't include me. My only friends were Larry and Robin,
it was the three of us, since 2nd grade, Tom, Larry and Robin,
the non-cool kids, now it's 5th grade, and I'm going away,
It's gonna be difficult; and lonely. But it's for the best,
Mom and Dad said so. I hope it's true.
is waiting outside. How can Sophie be so excited in moving?
Well, she doesn't have to change nursery so she'll still be
with her friends, not like me, I'll have to leave my only friends.
It's hard for me to make friends, I'm not cool like the other boys
so they won't include me. My only friends were Larry and Robin,
it was the three of us, since 2nd grade, Tom, Larry and Robin,
the non-cool kids, now it's 5th grade, and I'm going away,
It's gonna be difficult; and lonely. But it's for the best,
Mom and Dad said so. I hope it's true.
I will be going to school soon, but I really don't want to go,
it's really scary. I hate being different. I hate being
the centre of attention. And now that we've moved,
the only place I feel safe is with my family.
I wish we could go back home.
it's really scary. I hate being different. I hate being
the centre of attention. And now that we've moved,
the only place I feel safe is with my family.
I wish we could go back home.
* *
It's been the first day of school and luckily no one has
noticed me yet. I shouldn't have told mom that the school
is arranging a camp. She told me to go and said that it'll be fun,
and I believe her, though someone like me couldn't help
finding the downsides of everything. The Whatifs came out
to play in my head, what if no one liked me? What if no one
wants to camp out with me? What if I wanted to go home
and people teased me? I couldn't help but secretly doubt mom.
noticed me yet. I shouldn't have told mom that the school
is arranging a camp. She told me to go and said that it'll be fun,
and I believe her, though someone like me couldn't help
finding the downsides of everything. The Whatifs came out
to play in my head, what if no one liked me? What if no one
wants to camp out with me? What if I wanted to go home
and people teased me? I couldn't help but secretly doubt mom.
* *
This is the second week of school, which means that
I'm going to the camp next week. I should start packing
my bags because we'll be there for five days and
I'm a very slow packer.
I'm going to the camp next week. I should start packing
my bags because we'll be there for five days and
I'm a very slow packer.
I have to arrive at school at 7:00 straight on Monday.
I felt very sleepy but partly relieved because
I thought that if I slept on the bus I wouldn't catch attention.
I was terribly wrong. I woke up in the corner of the bus
to the sound of people laughing, laughing at me.
How desperate I was to disappear. I felt that if I didn't want
it to happen I shouldn't let it, so I asked them "What's going on?"
as happily as I can, covering my embarrassment,
trying to sound included and not hurt at all. And fortunately,
they were just laughing at my small ninja turtle backpack
and that happens all the time so I sighed in relieve.
I told them the story of how Granna bought it for
Sophie thinking it was my birthday and how she got
her two pounds instead and I got the bag.
After everyone enjoyed my funny story, a boy even
walked up to me smiling and said: "Hey new boy,
I'm Sam, what's your name?" I took his hand he held out
"It's Tom, nice to meet you.". He smiled at me as
he turned away; "Nice story" and returned to his seat
with all the other popular boys. It was the best feeling
I have ever had since we moved. And for once,
I had faith that I could actually get a friend, and with that,
I needed a plan.
I felt very sleepy but partly relieved because
I thought that if I slept on the bus I wouldn't catch attention.
I was terribly wrong. I woke up in the corner of the bus
to the sound of people laughing, laughing at me.
How desperate I was to disappear. I felt that if I didn't want
it to happen I shouldn't let it, so I asked them "What's going on?"
as happily as I can, covering my embarrassment,
trying to sound included and not hurt at all. And fortunately,
they were just laughing at my small ninja turtle backpack
and that happens all the time so I sighed in relieve.
I told them the story of how Granna bought it for
Sophie thinking it was my birthday and how she got
her two pounds instead and I got the bag.
After everyone enjoyed my funny story, a boy even
walked up to me smiling and said: "Hey new boy,
I'm Sam, what's your name?" I took his hand he held out
"It's Tom, nice to meet you.". He smiled at me as
he turned away; "Nice story" and returned to his seat
with all the other popular boys. It was the best feeling
I have ever had since we moved. And for once,
I had faith that I could actually get a friend, and with that,
I needed a plan.
All three days of camp came and went like winter break,
and because I was so distracted by being able to make a friend
I didn't have time to care about what people thought of me
and I like it. I actually had fun. I had lots of time to
figure that out on Monday because our science class
got cancelled and we had to stay in the library instead.
At the camp, I also realised that people have noticed me,
and not as the new boy, but as a friend, a fellow classmate.
They invited me to play with them when I walked by,
they greeted me at our lockers, I even noticed some smiling at me.
and because I was so distracted by being able to make a friend
I didn't have time to care about what people thought of me
and I like it. I actually had fun. I had lots of time to
figure that out on Monday because our science class
got cancelled and we had to stay in the library instead.
At the camp, I also realised that people have noticed me,
and not as the new boy, but as a friend, a fellow classmate.
They invited me to play with them when I walked by,
they greeted me at our lockers, I even noticed some smiling at me.
One day at lunch I decided to gather my courage and
went to them, the other boys. I thanked them for being careful
to me and making sure I was ok at camp until one said
something that has never been said to me in the history
of my school life "We should hang out sometime, you're nice!"
at that moment I thought I was going to faint. "E-e- excuse me?"
I looked around to see if he was talking to someone else,
but he was talking to me!? I struggled to talk "I'm,
'm sorry, h-hang out? L-like friends?" They seemed
very confused "Ummm... yes? If you'd like?"
He was starting to wince, "I just never had anyone
say this to me before. I'd like that very much."
I hurriedly whispered up before they had second thoughts.
went to them, the other boys. I thanked them for being careful
to me and making sure I was ok at camp until one said
something that has never been said to me in the history
of my school life "We should hang out sometime, you're nice!"
at that moment I thought I was going to faint. "E-e- excuse me?"
I looked around to see if he was talking to someone else,
but he was talking to me!? I struggled to talk "I'm,
'm sorry, h-hang out? L-like friends?" They seemed
very confused "Ummm... yes? If you'd like?"
He was starting to wince, "I just never had anyone
say this to me before. I'd like that very much."
I hurriedly whispered up before they had second thoughts.
I sat with them until all the boys left but one.
"Hi" he startled me out of my thoughts. "I'm Robbie.
It's Tom, right?" I didn't know what to do so I nodded.
"Tell me about your old school, looks like you've got a lot to say.
" I did. And I told him. All of it. The moving, the cool boys,
and my lack of confidence. Robbie shared his opinions
that didn't offend me, he knew how I felt he understood it all.
He had also told me all I had to know here.
And now that I have Robbie I felt safe at school too.
I soon fit in comfortably like the last jigsaw piece,
right in the middle. I am home.
"Hi" he startled me out of my thoughts. "I'm Robbie.
It's Tom, right?" I didn't know what to do so I nodded.
"Tell me about your old school, looks like you've got a lot to say.
" I did. And I told him. All of it. The moving, the cool boys,
and my lack of confidence. Robbie shared his opinions
that didn't offend me, he knew how I felt he understood it all.
He had also told me all I had to know here.
And now that I have Robbie I felt safe at school too.
I soon fit in comfortably like the last jigsaw piece,
right in the middle. I am home.
