The Trip

It was going into April, nearing the end of 6th grade. Next year, off to Junior High. L was not looking forward to it. But there were a few months left and she was going to try and enjoy it. Now being a 6th grader meant one thing. A trip to Washington D.C., the Nations Capitol. L had done her share of fundraising so the cost to go was pretty much free. The teachers were making the reservations and setting up who were going to be in what room. There could be 4 people to a room, and if you didn’t have 4, she would put people with you. L didn’t worry. She had 3 other friends in the class and they were all set. They couldn’t wait to go. As the days went on though, her best friend, K, started talking to another girl in the class. They were getting to be good friends. It was one girl that she didn’t really care for one way or another, so L tried not to let it get to her.

One Sunday, L was at home and the phone rang. It was for her. It was the girl that her friend K, was starting to hang out with. She said that K and the rest of the girls were talking and they decided that L wasn’t any fun. They didn’t want her in the room on their big trip. They wanted her instead. L asked why didn’t K tell her this. The girl said that she didn’t want to hurt her feelings. L broke out into tears, and hung up. She ran to her mom, trying to tell her what happened, but she was crying too hard. She finally got the words out and her mom felt so sorry for her. She knew something was wrong though. K wouldn’t do this to her. They were too close of friends. A few minutes later, the phone rang again. L’s mom went to answer this time.

It was K. She started out apologizing. She said that the girl just called her and told her what she had done. “So you didn’t know about this?” L sobbed while trying to speak. “No, I didn’t.” “We don’t want her, you are my friend.” This made L feel so much better. The tears tapered off and they hung up soon after. She told her mom what K said. Her mom told her that she needed to inform the teacher the next day about this whole thing. L just wanted to forget about it. From past experience, she knew that telling the teacher wasn’t what it was cracked up to be.

The next morning, L went on to school. She was always the first one there, her mom dropped her off on her way to work. The teacher asked her to come on up to the room and help her hang up some things on the board. L was happy to help. Anything was better then sitting in the hallway by yourself. L was asked to staple some papers up on the board. Not much talking was going on, but L felt comfortable. She wanted to blurt out what happened the day before. She just didn’t know how to bring it up. She looked at the clock and it was nearing the 1st bell. She knew she wouldn’t get another chance. She took a deep breath and it all poured out. The teacher couldn’t believe that someone could do that. She was trying not to get emotional, she didn’t want the teacher to see her cry. She told L that it was going to be ok. She would “handle it.” Ugh, L had heard those words before, but atleast she could tell her mom that she did tell the teacher all about it.

Class began and the first lessons of the day went by pretty smoothly. The time was quickly approaching first break. The teacher brought up the subject of going to D.C. L  had forgot about earlier. Her friends were there and everything seemed ok. Before the teacher excused them for break, she told the class, “And there will be no changing of rooms. Who ever you signed up with, you are in that room.” L didn’t hear much after that. Her face felt hot. She knew it was bright red. The teacher, although not the way L thought, did handle it. L was praying that the girl wouldn’t turn around and look at her. She would surely know that she told on her. When the teacher was through talking and no one was pointing fingers, L sighed. And then she smiled.