A Brighter Tomorrow: My Journey with Julie

I tell Julie that those three girls can’t be as bad as the Stinger kid. She blows a strand of hair out of her eyes and says we’ll see. She offers a polite nod as the girls approach, and they call her Tomboy. The girls don’t even look at me. Amanda comments on Julie’s sweatshirt and holds her nose. Allison asks if it’s the Jaguars uniform they gave Julie to hide the fact that she’s a girl.

But Julie doesn’t miss a beat. She says that Coach Manley is going to let her on the basketball team. Principal Sanchez is looking over her petition as we speak. Angela says Julie shouldn’t hold her breath. She flips her hair and walks away, forcing the others to catch up with her.

Julie wrinkles her nose at them before turning to me. She says it’s no fun being the new girl. Wait. Julie’s the new girl, too? Julie explains that after her parents divorce, she and her mom and Tracy moved a few miles away to live in an apartment above her mom’s new store. Julie just started a few weeks ago at Jack London Elementary. She asks me what school I go to.

I tell her, but she doesn’t recognize the name. I realize my school might not have been built yet in Julie’s time. I tell her that I miss my school in Ohio. And I miss my old friends. To my surprise, tears prick in the corners of my eyes. I try to blink them away, but Julie sees I’m upset. She guides me to a nearby bench.

She tells me the first few weeks are the hardest. That was a rough time for her, too. But then, she met T.J. and things started looking up. I’ll make some friends soon.

I tell her that I’m not sure about that. I’ve only been at my new school a week, and I’ve already managed to make enemies. It seems like every person at my school is a Water Fountain Girl. I tell her about the sign someone put on my back. Julie frowns and says that that’s awful. How did I find out about the note? I explain about the girl, Savannah, and my social studies class. Julie perks up. Savannah might already be my friend. I suppose that’s true. Savannah was nice to me at school, and she’s in most of my classes. Maybe on Monday I can ask to sit with her at lunch.

But then, I feel a twinge of guilt. Was Chloe really worried when she asked me if I had replaced her with a new best friend? Would she be upset with me if I found another best friend in San Francisco? I ask Julie if she had a best friend at her old school. Julie nods enthusiastically and says her name is Ivy. She lives across the street from her dad’s house. She’s still her best friend, but Julie doesn’t get to see her every day the way she used to. I remember the picture on Julie’s dresser of the two of them. Julie says when they lived across the street from each other, they flicked their lights on and off to say goodnight before bed. I can see the sadness in her eyes.

I ask if it’s hard to stay friends after moving away. Julie considers this for a moment, before saying that they talk on the phone a lot. And Julie sees her when she visits her dad, but it’s not the same. Now that they go to separate schools and have different lives, they don’t always understand each other. Just a week ago, they got into a bad fight over Julie’s basketball petition. But then they made up when Ivy mailed a petition to her to be her best friend. Now they’re closer than ever because they know that no matter what, they’ll always be best friends.

I wonder what I can send to Chloe to reassure her that I’ll always be her best friend. Then, Julie claps her hands together and says she’ll get to see Ivy tonight when she goes to her dad’s for a weekend visit. I’m happy for Julie, but I suddenly feel very homesick. I want to go home and call Chloe. I want her to tell me all about the party, and I’ll tell her about the Conservatory of Flowers. And maybe tonight, I’ll ask Mom if Chloe can visit over spring break.

As Julie and I leave the park and head up Frederick Street, I turn to her and tell her I’m glad I met her. And I’m glad to know I have a friend in San Francisco. Julie nods and says she’s here whenever I need her. When we arrive back at Gladrags, I suddenly get an idea. There’s one more thing I need to buy.

As I pay for my purchase, I say goodbye to Mrs. Albright and give Julie a goodbye hug. The bell above the door jingles as I leave the store. When I’m outside, just before I slip off the mood ring, I open my palm and smile at the matching pink and orange flower-power charms in my hand: one for me, and one for my flower-loving best friend, Chloe. Now I’m ready to go home.