It’s another new day in a new town, in a new house, at a new school. I’m not adjusting very well and not making any friends. I feel like I lost a little part of me by moving here. All that I know is back in Indiana. New York seems so different. I have been here many times before to visit my grandpa, but living here is completely different. In Indiana everyone is friendly and kind but here no one cares about you. If you are walking out of the grocery store and your bag breaks, not many people will come and help you pick your food up. There are a lot of stores and malls. The malls have so many stores in them, it’s amazing. I got a whole bunch of clothes for the new school year, but that didn’t make me feel better.

The school is strange too. We can wear whatever we want to school. It’s so much better than wearing the same uniform every day. I can have The classes are really big and everyone is loud. The school has six grades in it, but there are like four teachers for each grade. The lunch food is disgusting. It doesn’t even look like real food. The hotdogs bounce and the meat is gray. I even found a band-aid in my blueberries. The teacher seems nice but every time she calls on me I just look around, too afraid to say the wrong thing and get laughed at. The kids are friendly but I’m scared they won’t like me.  I don’t come from the same place and do the same things as them. I’ve never ridden the bus, or worn whatever I wanted to school. I haven’t listened to most of the “pop” music everyone listens to and shop at the “popular” stores. I don’t know how to be normal.

My sister, Grace is adjusting much easier as I am, but that’s because she just started Kindergarten so all the kids are new. She is also way more outgoing than I am. Today she has a playdate at her friend, Sophia’s house. My mom says that Sophia has a sister my age named, Viera. So I decide to come along, hoping that there is some possibility that I could stay and play with her. Their house is at the border of Clarence and Akron and I live in Clarence so it takes us a little while to get there. Arriving at the yellow house I have a million thoughts going through my head. What if she doesn’t invite me in? Will I ever make friends? Will I be lonely all my life? My mom rings the doorbell and we wait for what seems like hours and then the door opens. There in the doorway is Mrs. Mesler, Viera and Sophia. I look at Viera, Viera looks at me. Our parents are talking and then I hear Viera say, “Emily would you like to stay too?” What! Is this actually happening. Am I going to make a real friend? I say, “Sure,” with not much enthusiasm but inside I am jumping for joy.
Viera also has her neighbor Tessa over, she’s a year older than us. We start watching a movie and eating popcorn. This is all really awkward and I don’t really know what to do. I have never really been to someone else’s house for a playdate before and definitely not at someone’s house that I just met that day. We go up to her room and listen to music and it gets a little less awkward. We hang out for a little while longer, eat and then it’s time to go. Even though we just met I know that we are going to be great friends.

*Three Years Later*

Viera and I are in the same 5th grade class. We have Mrs. Graham. Since the first day we met, we have hung out a lot and our families have become really great friends. They come over for parties and to hang out in the pool. They are like family now. Now that me and Viera are in the same class we are even closer. We have the best class ever and I have so many friends in it. I knew coming here that would get better and now it has.

*Now*

If I had never gone with my mom to drop off Grace, I would have never met my best friend. If I had never met Viera I don’t know who I would be today. Even though I have moved away Viera and I still keep in touch and visit each other several times a year. That one day changed my life for the better.