Everyone has a purpose in life. Even if we don’t know it yet. That’s what I’ve always been told. The problem is that… I don’t know if I have one. The only thing I’m good at is school and I’ve always been an outsider for that. I’ve never had any true friends and I was never understood by others. It feels like it’s me against the world. Everyone thinks it’s so easy to be “the smart one”, but I would rather want to be one of the cool guys and have lots of friends. Sometimes I’m just lonely.
“Hey! Watch where you’re walking, Isaac!” bumps into him
“I’m sorry, my fault.”
“You better be!”
Nothing happened. I just have to gather my books and go to a corner of the cafeteria.
“Hi! Do you need some help?”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Don’t be silly, let me help you.”
“Here.” she puts the rest of the books in my backpack
“Thanks!”
“What’s your name?”
“Isaac, yours?”
“Ava.”
“I haven’t seen you around before.”
“Well, that’s because I’m new to this school. By the way, why do you have so many books?”
“Hmm, I don’t know myself. I just like to read.”
“I like to read too! Well, have a nice lunch, see you around!”
“Thank you, bye!”
That was a new experience. She was nice to me, but I’m sure in a few days she won’t even recognize me. After all, all my friends left, even Liam.
THE SCHOOL BELL RINGS
One more class and the day is over. I entered the room and took a free seat.
“Hey, Isaac!”
I look around, but I see no one saying my name.
“Over here!”
I look again, but this time, I see behind me the girl from the cafeteria.
“Ava, what are you doing here?”
“I have history class, silly.”
“Didn’t know you were in the same history class as me.”
“I didn’t know you were in my class either. I don’t know anyone, so, do you want to share the same desk?”
“Sure!”
She takes her backpack, her pencil case, and notebooks, and gets ready for class.
“Good afternoon kids, today we’re going to talk about World War II. When did it happen?”
“It began in 1939 and ended in 1945.” I answer.
“That’s correct, thank you, Isaac.”
“I didn’t know you were good at history too.”
“I just like to read and what I read I usually remember. Watch me at the next question.”
“Will do.”
“Does anyone know why did the war start?”
“Adolf Hitler’s invasion of Poland in September 1939 drove Great Britain and France to declare war on Germany.”
“That’s correct too, Isaac. I see you’re very prepared, as always.”
“Of course, he’s very prepared, he’s the nerd of the class. He can’t even speak to a girl and the only thing he does is read.”
“Liam! Say you’re sorry right now!”
“But that’s the truth ma’am!”
“Liam!!”
“He’s right, the only thing I can do is read.”
“See, even he knows it.”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses, say you’re sorry right now or I’m sending you to the headmaster.”
“Fine, I’m sorry. Are we even now?”
“It’s alright Liam.”
THE SCHOOL BELL RINGS
“Don’t forget to write a short essay about War World II for the next time.”
Everyone puts their backpacks on and starts getting out of the class.
“Isaac! Hey! What happened?”
“Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”
“Of course, it matters.”
“We can talk about it tomorrow. Now, I have to go.”
“Hey, wait a second…”
I don’t know why, but I just don’t want to talk about it with anyone. Liam was my best friend and now it’s just me. I don’t have any friends and I’m always taken for a fool. I guess I’m not that good at having friends.
After I got out of the train, I was walking back home. That’s when I heard a shout.
“Isaac, wait!”
I didn’t want to keep walking, but I didn’t want to stop. It felt like my loneliness drove me towards home but a shred of hope drove me towards Ava. I just stood.
“I finally reached you. Didn’t know we live in the same neighborhood.”
“Neither did I.”
“Do you want to talk about what happened?”
“Not really.”
“Are you sure? I’m always here if you want to talk.”
“It’s not that easy for me to talk to other people about how I feel.”
“It’s okay, everything you say stays between us.”
“How should I put it...Liam was my ex-best friend and now he’s a complete asshole to me. I’m just seen by others as the nerd one and as an outsider who can’t be part of the group. And now because I’ve told you this you’ll probably never talk to me again and I kind of regret every word that I said.”
“Don’t be stupid, I’ll keep talking to you. And it’s okay to be different, that’s what makes us unique.” she said while giggling.
“You might be right.”
“I am always right, silly. I have to turn left here.”
“For me it’s right.”
“See you tomorrow!”
“Bye!”
OPENS THE DOOR
“How was your day at school?”
“It was actually pretty good.”
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