What if I Don’t Fit In?

Talia

The bell rang. “Class, sit down,” bellowed Mrs. Stalecup. “And Avery, don’t think I can’t see you trying to pull Alex’s hair. Sit down.”

Avery reluctantly sat down.

“Okay class, get out your writing notebooks. It’s time to write your summary for the three chapters you read in your book.”

My friends Sophia and Lily quickly glanced at me. I smirked. I had already written my summary for my three chapters the night before. I met Lily and Sophia at the beginning of the year but we were all pretty tight. Sophia and Lily pretended to write. After they finished “writing,” they walked to where I was sitting.

Lily leaned against my desk and whispered, “So, Talia, there is a reason we are reading the same book as you, you know. So we can copy you.”

I sighed, “I know but make sure to change a few things because we can’t all have the same summary. It’s already sketchy that we picked the same book to read.”

Sophia rolled her eyes, “Just give us your notebook already.”

After they finished copying, Lily turned to Sophia and asked, “Sophia, did you ask your mom if she can drive us to the mall next week?”

“Yeah, but she has something going on, so she can’t take us.”

“My mom can,” I offered.

“Great!” they happily answered.

Mrs. Stalecup told everyone to quiet down. “Class, our new student is here. Welcome Grace to our school. Be kind and welcome her into your friend groups.”

I blinked alarmed as Grace smiled at me.

“Why is Grace here?” I wondered, then I broke eye contact. “Oh no, she is going to try to hang out with me and I know for sure Lily and Sophia won’t like her,” I thought.

Grace: A Week Before

“I can’t believe I will have to switch schools again. It’s all Adam’s fault. If he could just behave for once,” Grace thought to herself.

I walked up to Adam after school and said, “Seriously, why did you have to get in trouble again. Couldn’t you just be kind and not get into a fight with somebody? What did Tim do to you?”

Adam glared, “You would never understand.”

“Yeah, I will never understand,” I yelled. “I am even starting to wonder how we are twins. You are nothing like me.”

Adam mimicked, “I a-m e-ven s-tarting t-o w-onder h-ow w-e a-re t-wins, y-ou a-re n-othing l-ike m-om, d-ad o-r m-me.”

“Stop it! Now you are just being rude. It’s not my fault I stutter.”

Adam rolled his eyes, “Just like it’s not my fault we are nothing alike. Just because we are twins, that doesn’t mean I have to be like you or you have to be like me.”

And with that, we finally reached the car and went to our respective sides. When we got home, Mom and Dad weren’t happy. They yelled at Adam and finally they asked him the reason why he attacked Tim. Adam stayed silent. He always did.

I sighed, at least, even if we were always switching schools because our parents wanted both of us to be in the same school (after Adam’s expulsion), I would always have my soccer friends.

The following day, when I went to soccer practice, I walked over to Talia during our warmups and told her everything that had happened.

Talia grimaced, “I feel bad for you, having to switch schools all the time. Where are you going this time?”

I replied, “I don’t know yet, what if this time I move to your school?”

I couldn’t read Talia’s facial expression as she said, “That would be cool!” while tying her shoes. And that was a week ago. As I stood in front of the class, I smiled at Talia but something seemed off with her. “Why did she look away?”

Talia

Grace walked up to us and smiled, “Hi, Talia! Isn’t it a sweet surprise that I now go to your school?”

Lily wrinkled her nose, “Talia, do you know this weirdo?”

Grace exclaimed, “I am not a weirdo, Talia and I know each other from soccer.”

Sophia raised an eyebrow, “Is that so?” Then she continued the conversation about their trip to the mall as if Grace wasn’t there.

“Can I come too?” Grace asked.

Lily and Sophia glanced at each other and then me. “Okay, sure!” Lily said.

Grace

I disliked the way they glanced at each other in disgust. I wanted to know if Talia was going to defend me. Plus, they called me a weirdo when they didn’t even know me. I wanted to know why Talia would even hangout with such girls. Thank goodness it’s Friday.

Talia: A Week Later

My mom picked us up and took us to the mall. We walked in and immediately Lily started to pull us in one direction. “Come on, I think I see something that looks cute,” Lily said.

We walked over and sat down in chairs while Lily tried on clothes. Sophia stood up and looked at a sweater. “Wait, I think this would look really good on you, Grace. Why don’t you go try it?”

Grace looked surprised but said, “Oh, okay.”

Once Grace left, I looked up. “What is it”?

Sophia got straight to the point. “I want to talk to you about Grace. I think that it’s sweet that you are friends, but I don’t think she is cool enough for us. She stutters for god’s sake. S-he t-alks l-ike t-his. It’s so lame, It’s either her or us.”

I thought about it. I did know Grace for a long time, but I really liked Sophia and Lily. Besides, I could just talk to Grace at soccer practice. “I choose you, guys,” I replied.

Grace

I went into the dressing room, but I realized, as I took a closer look at the sweater, that the sweater was not my style. I walked back to Sophia, Lily and Talia, just to stumble upon them talking about me.

As I listened in, my face grew paler and paler. “Is this what they think of me?” And then my face started getting hotter. “Where is the friend that always warms up with me? Where is the friend that, when we lose a game, we cheer each other up, and when we win, we celebrate our victory together?” I stormed away from the mall.

Talia

We looked and looked for Grace, but she was gone. I wondered why she had left all of a sudden. For the next few days of school, she avoided me. Then during soccer practice, I asked her, “Why are you ignoring me?”

Grace glared at me then answered, “I overheard what you guys said about me, and when Sophia asked if you would rather be friends with me or them, you said them. You knew me longer and just because you wanted to impress them, you ditched a good friend while they seem like horrible friends.”

And with that said, she went and partnered up with another teammate. I guess I deserved that. For the next few months, we didn’t talk to each other. She made new friends in our class and seemed to have a blast with them. I was starting to miss my friend.

Grace

Just as I was thinking that all the trouble Adam was getting into was just a phase that he was done with, he got into trouble again. But this time, he told us why he had been doing this, and I was shocked.

Adam explained with his head bowed, “I was getting into all this trouble because of Grace. All the people I got into fights with would make fun of her and I hated it. I know that wasn’t how I should have solved the problem, but it sure worked.”

My eyes welled up with tears, “That is so sweet and nice, brother! I am so sorry. I really misunderstood you and your intentions.”

My heart was so touched. We hugged, and I told him not to get into fights anymore because of me or any other reason. Deep in my heart, I felt even more love blossoming for my family.

So what if I don’t fit in with society? So what if my classmates make fun of me behind my back and if Talia chooses to be friends with those two jerks? I will always have my family. I smiled, deep in thought. I was sure Talia would l come to her senses about those two.

Talia

Something weird was happening. Sophia and Lily were hanging out together, just the two of them, more and more often. They were always leaving me out, saying things like their moms said they could only have one friend over, or they thought I was busy or alternating friends was not a good option. I even caught them whispering about me behind my back. I was starting to realize what mistake I made choosing to be friends with them.

One day after school, I decided to call Grace to apologize.

“Ring, ring.”

“Hello!” Grace answered.

“Hello! It’s me, Talia.”

Grace questioned, “Talia, what do you want?”

“I wanted to apologize, I finally realized that Sophia and Lily aren’t good friends.”

“Took you long enough, I thought you were smarter than that. I also thought that you would notice them using you. Copying off you and more.”

“I know, I was quite dumb. My question is, do you think you can forgive me and be my friend again? I heard you can be quite forgiving.”

That got a laugh out of Grace. “Stop trying to flatter me. Do you honestly think I will fall for that? But you know what, since I am such a good and considerate friend, I will give you another chance.”

After that we talked for hours and hours about everything and anything. She told me about the reason Adam had been getting in trouble. I was shocked when I heard that, “Oh, wow! So that’s why he’s been acting like that. That’s so sweet!”

Grace praised her brother for his kind gesture. She added, “So what if I don’t fit in? I have my family and that’s what matters.”

A little ashamed, I quickly said, “You’re so right. Family is what we have left when other people push us away. Anyway, they don’t know what they are missing! You might stutter, but you have a golden heart, you know. Thank you, Grace and see you tomorrow at school.”

“See you tomorrow, Talia. Take care!”

“This is the happiest evening I have had in months,” I thought after Grace hung up.