Not Just for Elementary Schoolers

Meia whirled around frustratedly. The late bell had just blared over the intercom, and another student had told her Senorita Fernandez’s room happened to be on the opposite side of the school from where she stood. Why do I have to have a schedule change? I would have preferred German to Spanish.

Meia stomped down the hallway. She had had her seventh grade schedule reorganized twice since yesterday, her first day of school. And it’s all Mom’s fault. First, “You have to continue flute, Meia.” This morning, “Meia, Spanish is a much more useful language than German. I had to take Spanish, and so should you.”

A tall woman with flowing black hair whirled around to face Meia as the girl plopped her chartreuse binder onto a desk in the back corner of the room. “Hello, are you Meia?” The middle schooler nodded. “We are glad you chose to take Spanish.”

“I didn’t choose,” Meia grumbled. “I would rather be in German class with Fraulein,” she added under her breath.

Through the droning of Senorita Fernandez, Meia heard a small “hello” from beside her. She glanced over to her left and gazed at a small red-haired girl wearing a headband with cow ears on it. The cow-ear girl waved shyly at Meia. Meia turned away. Cow ears are dumb.

“I’m Rainy,” the girl whispered. “I just started at Birchbrook.”

Meia turned around and smiled back. She couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to be new. Forget taking Spanish unwillingly; school changing was awful! “And I’m Meia.”

At lunch, Rainy grasped her tray and glanced around the cafeteria, bewildered. Meia stood up from her normal seat with two friends, Laila and Naishely, and strode confidently toward Rainy. “Come sit with Laila, Naish, and me, Rainy.”

“Isn’t that what kids do in elementary school?” Rainy asked.

“Being kind isn’t only for elementary schoolers!” Meia led her new friend to her table and grinned.