Friendship Through the Ages

A New Beginning

It all started on that day, when I was in fifth grade. I don't exactly remember the date. The 2nd Term, perhaps ? So, in those days, we used to have hobby hours. It was like, we were given one hour every Tuesday and Thursday where we could go a hobby class - I went for Robotics along with two other girls. Things were just okay (and too predictable) until that day...

I walk into the Robotics room along with the other two girls, Alison and Dora. We're talking about what we should create today. I turn around to see another girl I haven't seen before, sitting all alone at our usual spot - near the window. She is probably thinking 'Great ! Looks like I'm the only girl here.' I elbow Alison.

"I think she's new here." I say.  

"Shall we go and ask ?" Alison asks. I nod (which I'm popular for) and walk towards that girl. 

"Excuse me ?" I ask her.

"Yes ?" she replies, looking up. 

"Are you new here ?" 

"Uh, yes."

"By the way, my name is Lily. Would you like to join us ?"

"Oh, sure ! I'm Ashleigh." 

I smile and sit down along with the other girls. At first I thought she's kinda shy, but I'm so wrong. 

"So, what shall we make ?" I ask. 

"A car ?" Alison asks.

"No. That's too... common." I say.

"What about a HUMANOID ?!" Ashleigh asks enthusiasticaly. We all stare at her. "Atleast the endoskeleton ?" She asks again, grinning.

"Well... We always wanted to try out a 'Dancing Robot'." Dora says. 

"I think we should just do a car since we've got a newbie here." I smile nervously. You see, Dora can have crazy ideas sometimes. 

~About one week later~

I walk through the corridor towards my classroom, 5-B. To get there, I have to pass by 5-C and 5-D. 

"Hey, Li !!!" Ashie (that's what I call her) waves to me. She is standing with three other girls. "Hi.." I stop near her, smiling nervously. "You HAD to call me by that name ?" I ask, my expression becoming serious. 

"What's wrong with that ?" She asks innocently, but at the same time, grinning. My friends call me 'Li'. But there's one guy called 'Lee' in our grade. Honestly, it's so embarrassing.

I roll my eyes. "By the way, why'd you call me here ? To embarrass me ?"

"Oh, right ! I wanted to introduce you to my friends."

"Actually, we kind of know each other..." I say, referring to Sarah, Annie and Samantha, those three girls from Spanish class.

"You know Lily ?!" Ashleigh turns to them, surprised.

"Yes. We all are in the same 3rd Language class." Samantha says coolly. "That's why you should have taken Spanish instead of French." She adds, nudging her.

Ashie turns around. "Whatever, French is always better." She says with a hint of arrogance.

"Is she always like that ?" I ask.

"Yeah." Sarah replies.

"I better get going. It's getting late." I say before resuming my walk and turning back to wave at the others. They wave back, too.

~On the First Day of sixth grade~

I'm so nervous.. Which section of class 6th will I be in ? 'Cause only God knows what kind of people each section might have.

Ms. Maybelle, intended to be the temporary class teacher of 6-D, comes and announces some names. I listen to her with rapt attention. '...Ken Delly, Lily Fields, Mike Montgomery, Marie Levesque..'  I sigh with relief and disbelief as I take my bag and walk upto Ms.Maybelle, grinning. Once Ms. Maybelle rounded up everyone, she signals us to follow her. We walk out of the room. It feels like I am going nowhere. I could be in heaven.. or hell.

A few minutes after I enter the room, I realise I was in neither....

"Hey Ashie ! Hey Sam !" I greet the two girls who were sitting in the front bench.

"Hey Lily !" Sam greets.

"You're in this class, too ?" Ashie asks. Well, the answer is yes. I say so. I notice another girl sitting next to them, and turn to her. "Hi. I'm Lily. And you are...?"

"My name's Kadienne." She smiles.

"Well, it does feel good to have some familiar faces around, doesn't it ?" I say, turning back to Sam and Ashie. 

"Well, yes. It does, Fields." I hear a slightly raspy but familiar voice behind me. 

I turn around and see him standing there, smirking, with his hands behind his back.

Martin Cavanaugh.

"You ?!" I ask, surprised.

"Well, duh !" He sneers. "I thought you had memory loss, Lily. How'd you remember me ?"

What happened to 'Fields' ?

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Ms.Maybelle enter the class.

"How can I forget you, mister ? I'm going to get you later. Just wait.." I say before storming off to my place. And about Martin, I know that guy since my fourth standard. I know how mischievous he was. I still remember the size of our rivalry. Part of me is looking forward to the year. Part of me is a little nervous about the challenges I'll have to face.