July 8, 1992
It's hard starting a new school, but I have to. More harder is going to a new country, more harder still is living in a new place, more harder still is though feeling alone, always feeling alone, because that's how I always felt....
July 14, 1992
Yes I am with my family, I am happy, the move to this new place is nice. Los Angeles, California, the United States. Still I feel alone, my two older sisters go to school together. There school is not so far, but I have to wait for the bus to take me to my new school, I have to go every morning with my grandma to wait for the bus.
July 18, 1992
The classroom is nice. There is a girl that does not like me. Told me that worms would come out of the plant that I am growing in the class. I didn't tell her anything. I looked at the paper cup with the sunflower seeds that I planted. Maybe she was right and worms would grow instead of the flower.
July 22, 1992
I don't belong here. My two older brothers are happy. They have made friends and I have not. I don't belong in the school. Each day I take the school bus to the school and each time I leave in the same bus. Each time I pass a bridge and there I see some of my classmates going home. They wave to me and I think why can't it be me to in that bridge crossing with them, why can't I live near the school. Why can't I walk home with them.
Then the next day is when my encounter with that strange girl occurred. It was the only time I saw her.
July 23, 1992
The window from the school bus is open, and the cold wind hits me. I forgot my sweater. The sun isn't out yet. I continue to stare at the green seat in front of me. The other kids in the bus are talking. I am seating by the aisle, that way once the bus stops I can quickly get out.
"Aren't you cold?"
This is the first time someone has talked to me on the bus. I feel annoyed. I don't want to talk to anyone.
It is a girl who is sitting next to me. She is also not wearing and she is seating next to the window. I am cold but for some reason I give her the wrong answer.
"No."
Then I continue to warm my hands by rubbing them together.
"Are you sure?"
She has dark hair and is smiling I think.
"Yes."
After that she turns to look at the window. I am cold and yet I won't tell her to close the window. Soon we arrived at the school.
Once I was out of the bus I went to the cafeteria to eat breakfast. Usually by now there would be a lot of kids but today the cafeteria was open. And I would have to come running since the apple juice would run out. The only other option was orange juice which I didn't like. The only one in the cafeteria was me. It was scary been at the cafeteria by myself. This day they were giving cereal. I open my apple juice and before I knew it the girl from before was sitting in the same bench were I was. I munch away at the cereal as fast as I could and the girl continued to sit there.
Where was everyone?
So I finish my apple juice and then the girl got up but she hand't taken a bite from her breakfast. She then left and left the tray there. After a while she didn't comeback, so I took my chance and got the other apple juice. I drank it and then left the cafeteria.
Then I didn't see the girl again. She wasn't in my class and I looked around during recess but she was not in the other classes.
Then the teacher send me to leave a letter to the school office and then she told me I could go to lunch since it was about to start soon.
So I arrived early at the cafeteria and again I was the only one there. I sat down and put my tray on the table and then it happened again.
The girl was there sitting in the same table as I was. There was no one at the cafeteria and then this time she spoke to me as I was opening my chocolate milk.
"Here try this milk is good?" The carton was green.
So I took milk carton and took a sip from the straw. I handed it back to her.
"It's good."
"It is isn't it."
Then she asked me.
"Are you new in the school?"
By this time I felt like talking to her.
"Yes, a few days ago I started school. How about you?"
"Me too. Do you like the school?"
"Yes, the teacher that I have its fun."
Then as the students were coming in she got up.
"Well I have to go, but you can have my milk."
"Thanks."
Then she left and I didn't see her anymore.
Many years later I still think about that encounter with the strange girl and wonder if she did exist....