The New Girl

At my school, everybody knows everybody. Being the popular girl of the third grade was a big role to take on for the nine and a half year old me. With my witty comments and leadership skills, people looked to me and my core group of friends to decide how to feel about a situation.
One day, we had an announcement that a new student would be joining our class. Anxious, I was hoping it would be a cute boy, of course! To my dismay, there was a flat haired gangly girl with crooked teeth and big blue eyes named Hannah walking through the door. Me and my friends snickered to each other. This is what we got?
Recess time came and no one went by her. We were all on the swings when our friend said she was going to talk to Hannah. We were suspicious of her choice, but happy she was the guinea pig to see what this new girl was like.
Soon my friend and Hannah were talking all the time. This made me jealous that my friend had left our group for the new girl. Weeks later, the teacher pulled my friend group and me aside. She talked to us about being rude toward Hannah. The teacher said Hannah feels left out and has hurt feelings. That whole recess, we had to sit at a picnic table and think about what we did. I didn’t even know what we did wrong. It was not our fault she wasn’t being social! That recess felt like prison.
Through the years, most of my friends transferred schools and left me. This forced me to talk to Hannah, which marked the biggest turning point of my childhood memories. We became best friends…
There were three girls in the sixth grade, and my friend that went to make friends with Hannah in third grade turned out to be a bully to her. She would hide her food, make fun of her, and pick on her. Hannah would come to me with her hurt feelings, and helping her get over them was what set the core foundation for our friendship.
Something just clicked when seventh grade was reached, and Hannah and I biked almost everyday. Talking, crying, gossiping, and doing everything pre-teens would do. We would make up songs, pass notes during class, have code names for boys we liked, go to the park, partner up for class projects--it was so much fun. Never did I ever think she would end up being the closest friend I have ever had.
Unfortunately, Hannah moved away to Pennsylvania after our eighth grade year, and there hasn’t been a sadder day in my life. But I will never forget the lesson that was learned because of her. I learned I should never judge someone before I know them, and shouldn’t be a bully, because I achieve nothing but more self esteem that will eventually be knocked down. I am lucky to have had this experience in my earlier years, because I am now sixteen and still keep these morals in my life.
Hannah was placed in my life not to just be my friend, but also to teach me about life in a way that was beneficial for both of us.