The Real One
In a housing in the suburbs, there lived
a girl named Angelica. People called her Ellie and she was 9 years old. She
lived in a modest house, like the other houses, along with her parents and her
younger sister. Ellie known as a pretty and smart girl. She was also cheerful
and friendly. She had many friends. In her school, Oak City Elementary School, she
was known by almost of the teachers and peers. It was reasonable.
One evening, there was a new family
moved into a house near Ellie’s. Coincidently, the house was faced with Ellie’s.
The familiy had a child named Nathan. He was the only child. He would lived in
that house with his parents and his grandmother. Nathan was closer with his
grandmother than his parents whom busy to works. Nathan’s family presence was
interested Ellie to came. It was a rarely to have people moving into those housing
area. Ellie asked her mother to take her there.
“Hi,” Ellie said.
“Oh, hello. What are you doing here, Sweety?
Do you want to visit?” Nathan's mother said friendly.
“Hi. I just take her here. She said she
wanted to look around. She was curious with new people. I'm sorry if we bother
you,” Ellie’s mother replied.
“Oh, no. No problem, it’s okay. What's your
name?” Nathan’s father asked Ellie..
“I am Ellie,” she smiled.
“Ellie? How old are you, Dear?” Nathan’s
grandmother whom was looking the flowers said.
“I am nine years old. I lived in that
house,” said Ellie, pointing to her house.
“Oh really? Nathan is also nine. Do you
want to play with him?" Nathan’s mother said.
“Who is Nathan?” asked Ellie, curiously.
“My son,” Nathan’s mother answered.
“Oh. Yes I do. I'm glad to have a new
friend," Ellie answered with enthusiasm.
“Ellie, let’s go home first. Let them to
tidy up their stuff first. It’s okay to play another time,” urged Ellie’s
mother.
“It's okay, no need to hastily. Moreover
also let Nathan have a new friend. So let it be, just a little while anyway.
You can leave her, she'll be fine here,” said Nathan’s mother again.
“Okay, then. I'm sorry for the
troublesome,” Ellie’s mother said, “I’ll go home first. Do not bother them,” she
said to Ellie.
Ellie just smiled and looked at her
mother. She was very eager to got acquainted with Nathan.
“Nathan, come here a minute,” said Nathan’s
mother.
“What, ma'am?” he said.
Ellie was enchanted on the first sight. She
was enchanted by a couple of beautiful eyes belonged to the boy.
“Hi,” said Ellie without waiting for Nathan’s
mother answer his question.
“Nathan, come on. She was our neighbor.
You must be good friends,” said Nathan’s mother.
“What? Friend? A girl? Oh no!” said Nathan
to himself.
All these time he was rarely made
friends with girls. If it were so, it would have been just as classmates. But
never was much chatter or games which he did with the girls. Even with the boys
were so. He was very picky to made friends. Only the certain children whom
could and wanted to be his friends.
Vigorously Ellie stretched out her hand,
she wanted to acquainted with Nathan. “Hi, my name is Ellie. I stayed at the
house over there. Glad to meet you,” said Ellie friendly.
Long time no response from Nathan. He
was silent and just looked at ellie. He was still stucked in the imagination of
having a girl friend.
“Nathan, come on. Don’t make Ellie waiting
for you,” said the Nathan’s father.
Lazily Nathan raised his hand and shook Ellie’s
hand. “Hi, I am Nathan. Nice to meet you too,” Nathan answered, flat almost without
expression whatsoever.
Nathan’s parents still busy tidying
their luggage. Nathan whom were still reluctant to played with Ellie, pretended
to helped his parents. Just to made Ellie felt that she was unwelcome there. Until
all things tidied up, Nathan still pretended that he was busy.
“Nathan let’s getting in first, you have
to take a rest. You have school tomorrow,” Nathan’s mother said from inside the
house.
Nathan felt like he was rescued from the
nuisance of the weird child, Ellie. He was hurry
to got into the house. Ellie didn’t move from the
place she stood. She was still fascinated with
the beautiful brown eye-balls. She really wanted to be friends with Nathan. However, she could not keep standing in front of her
new neighbor’s house. Finally she decided to went
home.
***
The next morning at school, Ellie met
again with Nathan. She was very happy to knew that Nathan was in the same school
and became her classmate. But, Nathan, knowing
he would be Ellie’s classmate made him felt very fortuneless. Imagine that each day he would met that nosy girl made
him uncomfortable.
In class, Ellie remains the same. She
tried to keep in touch Nathan, trying to made friends with him. However Nathan
looked like a polar refrigerator in the class. He looked not an eye with his
new friends. After a week, only Ellie who
approached him. The other just treated him like classmates, not a playmate.
Every break, he came to the cafeteria alone. He came home alone.
A month passed, Nathan got bored. He
felt so lonely because he had no friends to chat. He told this to his
grandmother.
“Maybe you need a little change. Your
friends may be happy if there was a friendly and energetic Nathan, try it,” his
grandmother suggested.
“It maybe true,” replied Nathan inside
his heart.
In the morning, he tried his
grandmother's suggestion. It is true, in the next week, he has already joined
with their group. A week later he had a friend, a boy, Kyle. He felt better.
However, in the next month, he felt lonely again.
“Grandma, I’ve tried to make a friendship
with all the boys in my class. I also have a bestfriend. But why do I still
feel lonely? Sometimes I feel like a stranger,” chirped Nathan to his
grandmother.
“Don’t you make a friendship with other
children as well? Did you just make relationship with the boy only?” said her
grandmother, hoping Nathan understood what she meant.
Nathan understood. The next day, he
tried to get along with some girls too. He does not want to be a foreign child
in the class. A week later, they were already quite close. At least if compared
to the Nathan’s first day in the classroom. But at the end of the month, Nathan
complained again to his grandmother.
“Grandma, I’ve tried everything you said.
But I feel there is still one thing that faze me. I do not feel like a stranger
anymore. But sometimes, I still feel uncomfortable,” said Nathan.
“Are you sure? Are you sure you’ve been
friends with all of them?” said his grandmother.
Nathan remembered, he did not make a friendship
with all of them. There is still one person that he didn’t wanna talk about.
His classmates who was very annoying. Ellie. Nathan was not sure he wanted to
be friends with Ellie. Every day disturbed by Ellie made him saturated. But
then he realized, that Ellie looks different this two weeks. She seldom came to him. Nathan
remember, his last time talked to Ellie, he asked her not to disturb him again.
Nathan also remembered how Ellie’s expression that time, she looked very disappointed.
However unwittingly, Nathan missed her. He felt uncomfortable because there was
a difference. No one who diligently greeted him,
teased, or just annoyed him anymore. Even Kyle was not greeted him everyday
even though they are bestfriend.
Finally, Nathan admitted that he missed Ellie’s
warmth to him. But he was too prestige to started a conversation with Ellie.
Nathan just hid away the discomfort, he covered it up for several months.
***
In one afternoon, on their first day
back to school after the holidays, Ellie’s tire deflated. She did not know what
to do, she did not dare to walked alone because the dusk was starting darkened.
Nathan saw that. In his heart, he saw a chance to start a conversation with her.
Nathan asked if Ellie wanted to went home with him.
“What? No thanks. If you want help me,
you can go home first and tell my parents to pick me up,” said Ellie.
“But, it will take a long time. I think
it’s better if we go home now. Before it’s getting darker,” said Nathan.
Ellie finally agreed, they went home
together. Nathan took his chance to recovered their friendship. They talk a lot
on their way home, they were getting more and more chummy. And it was a great
day that was the beginning of a fabulous friendship. When they almost their, Nathan
asked Ellie.
“Hmm, do you think we could be friends?”
said Nathan shy.
“What? Hmm, well.... I’m not sure. I
guess you’re upset with my presence. I am very annoying, right?” Ellie replied.
She smiled, freak!
“Yes... I’ve always felt you were very
disturbing,” said Nathan.
“How about now? Are you not worried that
I’m going to bother you again?” said Ellie.
“Yes..... a little,” answered Nathan.
They laughed together. “But I'm more worried if I would just feel more and more
uncomfortable,” said Nathan.
“Why you should feel uncomfortable?” asked
Ellie.
“I’m happy now, because I can make
friendships with all the children in the class. But i think, I need real friends.
Who true-hearted to be my friends. That still consider me a friend even when I
do not consider them. I need something like that. I want you to want to be my
friend,” said Nathan. He bowed his head, ashamed to admit it.
“Hahaha, are you kidding me? I may not
be a good friend,” she answered shortly.
Nathan lifted his head. “Maybe. So do I.
But, at least you have a sincerity. You also have such spirit. I wish you give
me a little. Hahaha,” said Nathan. He was speechless and thought that an error
had been happened inside his brain. Then he continued his words, “It doesn’t
mean that I want you to be my friend just because I want to exploit you. I
think I always need a friend like you. So, will you?” he said.
Ellie smiled. She felt the strength of a
couple of beautiful brown eyes that wanted her to accept that request.
“Okay, I will. Let’s be friends,” she
replied, holding up her little finger.
“Okay, annoyer,” Nathan said, holding up
his little finger. “Let’s be friend forever,” he said.
“Just watch and see,” said Ellie. They tied
their little finger and laughed together loudly.
Nathan’s grandmother, who had been
watching them through the window, smiled. She was glad to know his grandson finally
become a different person. He no longer picky friends. Since the first time she
saw Ellie, she knew the girl had a tremendous spirit. She was convinced that the
girl’s spirit could changed Nathan. She also believed that Ellie would be a
true friend for Nathan.
***
Friends or bestfriends, is not about who
they are, males or females, old or young, sucks or not. But they are the ones
who can make us feel that we are really there, who want to waste their time
just to greet us, who want to listen to our story, and not bored even though we
are sucks too. We don’t need a lot of friends, we just need the real one.
