IT WAS THE SPRING OF 1999 AND A 7th GRADE CLASSROOM WAS THE SETTING OF ONE OF THE GREATEST LESSONS EVER LEARNED…

SARAH, KELCY, ASHLEE, AND ALLIE WERE THE BESTEST OF FRIENDS. THEY DID EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND WERE BASICALLY INSEPARABLE.

INSEPARABLE, THAT IS, UNTIL ONE OF THE GIRLS DECIDED TO SPLIT UP THE GROUP. SADLY, SHE SUCCEEDED, BUT IN RETROSPECT THE LESSON LEARNED WAS WORTH FAR MORE THAN THOSE SUPERFICIAL FRIENDSHIPS EVER WERE…THIS IS THEIR STORY…

Ok, who’s gonna call Luke? I called Johnny so

it’s someone else’s turn! Sarah you should

do it!

Alright, give me

the phone.

Hang up! Hang up!

Hey!

We begin with a typical Friday night @ Ashlee’s house. The girls are doing their makeup, gossiping, and ‘attempting’ to call boys.

I wonder if I weigh

100 lbs. yet.OMG me too! I’m

always right around there.

So am I.

Shut up! Me too!

Let’s weigh

ourselves and

find out.

K, I’ll go

first.

A week or so later, the girls are joined together at Sarah’s house just hanging out in her mom’s

bathroom.

1 10

Ok who’s next?

I’ll go.

1 10

Hey I’m 101 too

!Sarah, your turn.

Last, but not

least, Ashlee.

No way! That is so cool. We

should totally name ourselves 101 and all try

to stay the same weight. That would be so

cool!

YEAH!

YEAH! YEAH!

The girls celebrated their newly formed alliance...

Unfortunately that celebration was short lived…

Sarah began dating a new boy, Luke, and soon spent less and less time with the 101 group…

Needless to say, the dynamic of the group changed…

And in the blink of an eye, 101 group was not as it once was…

Sarah is always with Luke now…she never has time for us

anymore…

I wonder if she’s still going to the movie with

us tonight.She has to…she promised…she

will definitely be there!

So you wanna see that new movie, Save

the Last Dance,

tonight?

I’d love to Luke! I have no plans tonight. What

time?It’s at

7:30 so I’ll

have my

mom pick

you up at 7:00.

Can’t wait!

Hey girls!

Hey Sarah…so what time

should we all meet up for the movie tonight?

Ohh gosh I’m sorry…I told Luke I’d go with him to the movies…

sorry…

Wow that’s really shady of Sarah to pick a boy over

us…Oh well the 3 of us are going to have a great time tonight. Wanna spend the night

at my house afterwards?

Yeah!Yeah!

With Sarah’s absence in the group, Allie soon began to acquire the lead role. Kelcy and Ashlee were following her every move.

Sarah noticed this transition of leadership and got extremely jealous. She, then, devised a plan to get rid of Allie so she could reclaim her title as head of the group.Sarah began spreading rumors about Allie. She told Kelcy and Ashlee that Allie was making fun of them behind their backs. Being the gullible girls they were, Kelcy and Ashlee believed Sarah.

The following week in Mrs. Zawlocki’s class, the girls were passing notes discussing their weekend plans.

Sarah saw this as the perfect opportunity to unleash the grand finale of her plan.

This is how it went down…

Psst…Note

Allie, Sarah, Kelcy,

So what stores do you want to go to? Do you want my mom to drive? Are you going to get a shirt or jeans too? What time should we go? We need to have enough time to go home and get ready for the movie….<3 AshI need a new shirt too!

Let’s go at like 4…

What do you think Kelcy?

Oh no how are all 4 of us going to

go together?

Sarah has been

talking a lot of crap

about Allie

today. Well I guess

we’ll see what Sarah says.

Psst. Kelcy!

Allie. Sarah. Kelcy,So what stores do you want to go to? Do you want my mom to drive? Are you going to get a shirt or jeans too? What time should we go? We need to have enough time to go home and get ready for the movie.

Sarah reads the note to herself…

I need a new shirt too!Let’s go at like 4…

What do you think Kelcy?YOU CAN’T GO TO

THE MALL WITH US!

Hah! Allie thinks she can come with us? I run this click. I don’t want her leading anything. I am the leader! Watch

this!

Sarah shows what she wrote to both Kelcy and Ash before it reaches Allie’s desk…

Allie. Sarah. Kelcy,So what stores do you want to go to? Do you want my mom to drive? Are you going to get a shirt or jeans too? What time should we go? We need to have enough time to go home and get ready for the movie.I need a new shirt

too!Let’s go at like 4…What do you think Kelcy?YOU CAN’T GO TO

THE MALL WITH US

Allie reads the newest addition to the note…glances at her ‘friends’…and begins to cry…

Mrs. Zawlocki notices Allie crying at her desk…

Allie, can you come up here

please.

Yes?

What just happened?

What’s wrong?

Sniffles...

Do you want to go out in the hall?Allie nods her head yes.

Class, continue working silently

and I will be right back.

Here’s some Kleenex...no

w tell me what

happened.

Sarah is so mean. She always turns the other girls against me. They are such followers and they let her

manipulate them. She’s so hateful!

I didn’t do anything!

Allie, darling. You are an

extraordinary, bold, outgoing, cute, and

confident young lady. You are going to be surrounded by jealous people your

entire life.

The girls treated me the same way in middle school. Honestly, Allie,

you remind me of myself at your

age.

What a tremendous compliment!

She is my favorite

teacher and I admire her

an incredible amount.

Allie blushes

You will learn that you cannot control other people and you just

have to continue being yourself and tell the

truth.

You cannot allow other peoples

actions to have that much of an

effect on you sweetheart.

Your reaction to the note was

exactly what Sarah wanted, and by

crying you basically let her

win.

Mrs. Zawlocki was not a fan of Sarah in the first place because of her attitude and other instances similar to this one that she

had observed throughout the year.

Ready to go back to class

with your head held high?

You betcha!

All the students are seated at their desks and working away. Allie walks in grinning from ear to ear and the class is completely confused at what

just happened.

She was crying. I thought my plan had worked. Why is she smiling?

Allie grins to herself and reflects.

I gained an inner strength today that I will keep inside of me for

the rest of my life. I won’t let what people say or do get to me. I will take everything

with a grain of salt and won’t allow other people to affect my mood.

Mrs. Zawlocki rocks. I loved her before,

but now even more. She is

truly an amazing teacher.

The next day, Allie walks the halls as a new woman. Her eyes are wider, her mind is clearer, and her smile has become permanent. No longer will she allow other people to take

away her happiness. She hums gleefully as she passes fellow classmates.

Go against the flow. Walk to

your own tune. Be true to yourself.

Allie passes Mrs. Z in the hallway and smiles. Mrs. Z grins and winks back.

Thanks Mrs. Zawlocki. You are a saint and

I will never forget you. I hope one day to be able to extend your

legacy and help others find their inner strength as you helped me discover

mine.

Allie thinks to herself.

THE END