straight ahead.
“So yeah, maybe I did do something wrong,” I whisper back. “But when is it going to occur to you that I did it all for you?”
Aaron stops walking and pulls me to the side. “You’ve got to stop talking this way!”
“But, Aaron…”
Aaron looks at me with his big, green eyes, and all I can see is fear. “Look, I missed you, too, okay? The first couple of days here I would have done anything to see you!”
“So then why can’t you act happier to see me?”
“Because what you did is wrong, really, really wrong. I can’t be your friend anymore. I’m sorry.”
“Aaron!”
“Have you tried to be the best me you can be, Sophie?” he asks, his face solemn.
I let out a snort. “You can’t be serious? You’re kidding, right?”
He shakes his head.
“But…we always made fun of that, remember?” I mimic the voice of Dr. Saunders from Primary. “ Children, always remember to be the best me you can be! ”
“Maybe I’ve grown up,” Aaron says.
“In six weeks you’ve grown up?” I snort again.
“Just think about it, really think about it,” Aaron says, then rejoins the line.
I lean against the wall and watch everyone as they walk past me. Can he be serious? Of all the things that have happened in the last few days, this is definitely the worst.
gh
As the days pass I try and pretend that being near Aaron but not with Aaron doesn’t bother me, but it does. How could it not? Sometimes I feel angry, which is a lot better than the times when I feel sad. With anger I can direct it at someone else, at Aaron. Doesn’t he know all the risks I took to be with him? Doesn’t he care at all? With sadness, I just feel lonely and bad about myself. Sometimes I get so low I even start to miss Hannah, who used to drive me nuts. That can’t be good.
So instead I try and focus on making other friends in this place. After all, I’m going to be here for the next six years. Luckily, Emily seems to like me and I feel the same way. Jana notices the friendship quickly and becomes even ruder to me, if that’s possible.
My days develop a certain rhythm to them, filled with structure and rules. Wake up at 7:00. Get dressed and meet the Floor by the flagpole at 7:30 for a Reflection Walk. Walk around the school for half an hour, supposedly thinking deep thoughts, then get in line for breakfast. Now race back to the room to get into uniform in time for Lectures One and Two. Back to the dorm room until lunch bell at 12:00, followed by more Lectures, followed by Free Time, which includes participation in extra-curricular activities, engaging in Quiet Time, or studying. Boring, boring, and more boring.
After a while, I almost forget what it was like before, at Primary, being with so many different personalities and being able to make so many more decisions on my own. Even choosing whether to be in a Quiet Room or a Social Room seems like such freedom now. At ISTJ, there are no Social Rooms. After a while, I also almost forget what it was like to have Aaron as my best friend. Maybe I imagined it .
I start to spend most of my free time with Emily. She reminds me a bit of Aaron, which I guess isn’t so strange, as they are the same Type. She puts up with me being louder than her and wanting to talk all the time, just like Aaron did.
“What are you two giggling about?” Jana asks, standing in front of us one afternoon during Free Time.
“Nothing,” I say. I try to look serious but end up snorting.
“Yeah, nothing,” Emily says, laughing harder.
“If it’s nothing, then why are you still laughing?” Jana asks. She moves closer to Emily. “Have you finished your homework already?”
“Almost,” Emily says. She takes a deep breath, then giggles again.
“Almost? What do you mean by almost? Don’t you want our floor to win on Ribbon Day?”
“Back off, Jana,” I say. “It’s Saturday. We’re just having fun.”
“You might just be having fun, but I guarantee that all the girls
“So yeah, maybe I did do something wrong,” I whisper back. “But when is it going to occur to you that I did it all for you?”
Aaron stops walking and pulls me to the side. “You’ve got to stop talking this way!”
“But, Aaron…”
Aaron looks at me with his big, green eyes, and all I can see is fear. “Look, I missed you, too, okay? The first couple of days here I would have done anything to see you!”
“So then why can’t you act happier to see me?”
“Because what you did is wrong, really, really wrong. I can’t be your friend anymore. I’m sorry.”
“Aaron!”
“Have you tried to be the best me you can be, Sophie?” he asks, his face solemn.
I let out a snort. “You can’t be serious? You’re kidding, right?”
He shakes his head.
“But…we always made fun of that, remember?” I mimic the voice of Dr. Saunders from Primary. “ Children, always remember to be the best me you can be! ”
“Maybe I’ve grown up,” Aaron says.
“In six weeks you’ve grown up?” I snort again.
“Just think about it, really think about it,” Aaron says, then rejoins the line.
I lean against the wall and watch everyone as they walk past me. Can he be serious? Of all the things that have happened in the last few days, this is definitely the worst.
gh
As the days pass I try and pretend that being near Aaron but not with Aaron doesn’t bother me, but it does. How could it not? Sometimes I feel angry, which is a lot better than the times when I feel sad. With anger I can direct it at someone else, at Aaron. Doesn’t he know all the risks I took to be with him? Doesn’t he care at all? With sadness, I just feel lonely and bad about myself. Sometimes I get so low I even start to miss Hannah, who used to drive me nuts. That can’t be good.
So instead I try and focus on making other friends in this place. After all, I’m going to be here for the next six years. Luckily, Emily seems to like me and I feel the same way. Jana notices the friendship quickly and becomes even ruder to me, if that’s possible.
My days develop a certain rhythm to them, filled with structure and rules. Wake up at 7:00. Get dressed and meet the Floor by the flagpole at 7:30 for a Reflection Walk. Walk around the school for half an hour, supposedly thinking deep thoughts, then get in line for breakfast. Now race back to the room to get into uniform in time for Lectures One and Two. Back to the dorm room until lunch bell at 12:00, followed by more Lectures, followed by Free Time, which includes participation in extra-curricular activities, engaging in Quiet Time, or studying. Boring, boring, and more boring.
After a while, I almost forget what it was like before, at Primary, being with so many different personalities and being able to make so many more decisions on my own. Even choosing whether to be in a Quiet Room or a Social Room seems like such freedom now. At ISTJ, there are no Social Rooms. After a while, I also almost forget what it was like to have Aaron as my best friend. Maybe I imagined it .
I start to spend most of my free time with Emily. She reminds me a bit of Aaron, which I guess isn’t so strange, as they are the same Type. She puts up with me being louder than her and wanting to talk all the time, just like Aaron did.
“What are you two giggling about?” Jana asks, standing in front of us one afternoon during Free Time.
“Nothing,” I say. I try to look serious but end up snorting.
“Yeah, nothing,” Emily says, laughing harder.
“If it’s nothing, then why are you still laughing?” Jana asks. She moves closer to Emily. “Have you finished your homework already?”
“Almost,” Emily says. She takes a deep breath, then giggles again.
“Almost? What do you mean by almost? Don’t you want our floor to win on Ribbon Day?”
“Back off, Jana,” I say. “It’s Saturday. We’re just having fun.”
“You might just be having fun, but I guarantee that all the girls
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