September 2000
Lulu marched into her first day, pigtails bouncing. The room was full of children and she couldn't wait to play with them.
Then something in the corner caught her eye. A bookshelf! Well stocked and piled high with colourful children's books. Lulu knew how to read, of course, she had been doing so for two years. She immediately ran over to it, pulled out a book and sat down to read, forgetting all about playing.
***********
"Look Mrs. Parker, I'm sorry to say this but I think your child might have some social issues."
Mary O'Connor had dragged Lulu's mother into her office, because she was becoming increasingly worried about Lulu's behaviour.
To her utter bewilderment Anne Parker burst out laughing.
"Hahaha my Lulu? Social issues? "
And started laughing again.
"No offence intended Anne, but I do not think this is a laughing matter! I..."
She was cut off.
"I'm sorry Mary. I didn't mean disrespect. It's just that Lulu is the farthest thing from antisocial. ..that is unless she's buried in a book."
"Well that's just it Anne. I don't believe I've seen
your child without a book for more than five minutes. Now I wholly believe in the benefits of reading from such a young age, but I'm really worried that the other children have got so used to her not interacting that they don't even spare her a glance anymore."
December 2005
"Talk amongst yourselves for five minutes while I go out to print the homework",said Miss Deegan to her fourth class.
Everyone immediately turned to talk to their friends; everyone except Lulu.
She looked to her left and right, but the children on both sides were turned away. She sighed and picked up the book she was reading; Anne Of Green Gables.
June 2010
As the bell rang in her last class before the summer holidays, Lulu felt a strong sense of relief. She had no actual friends in her year, and she had long given up on trying to make any.
She lived in a small enough town so everyone she had gone to primary school with had moved up into secondary with her, with very few exceptions. She had no chance to make a fresh start or give a new impression.
She had accepted that this was how her life would be until she left for college. Her sister, Cara, had tried to get her to open up and talk to people, but the only person outside of her family Lulu felt comfortable with was Cara's best friend, Izzy.
YOU ARE READING
The Hermit Crab
Teen FictionLola is, and swears she will always be, in love with her best friends older brother, Tim. She is shy and not very sociable. She is waiting for someone to reach out to her so she can come out of her shell, and can't help but hope it will be him. Un...
