Threats of Fate

For the first time, the children were seeing each other. Everyone was a bit shy, and no one really wanted to ask if someone would be their partner. Leonardo looked around. Should he go to Sophie or Lirien? "Both would be great in my group," he thought.

Leonardo: "Do you want to team up with me? What's your name?"

Lirien: "No, I don't want to be in your group, and my name is Lirien."

Leonardo was surprised and turned to Sophie.

Leonardo: "Do you want to team up with me?"

Sophie: "You're only asking me because she said no."

Leonardo: "No, my dad says I can do anything. I want both of you in my group!"

Lirien: "One isn't enough for you?"

Sophie: "You can't have anyone here!"

Leonardo didn't understand why they were rejecting him. He was Leonardo! Why didn't they want to join his group? He watched as the other groups formed: Lirien and Sophie teamed up, Lena and Nikki formed a pair, and Seika joined Luna. "Oh no, I can't be in a group with other boys," he thought.

Earlier in the Classroom

Lena, Luna, Seika, and Nikki stood together, watching Akio and Auron argue. Nikki found it amusing how Akio kept approaching Auron, even though Auron didn't seem to want him around.

Luna: "Do you see that?"

Nikki: "See what?"

Luna: "Why are the boys arguing?"

Nikki: "Maybe they're just dumb!?"

Luna: "That's sad. That boy is trying so hard, but the other one just doesn't want him. I feel bad for him."

Nikki: "Hmm… I didn't think of it that way."

Luna: "I want to go and help him!"

Seika: "You don't need to help him. What would you even do?"

Luna: "I'd tell him he can join another group."

Seika: "But what group? Are you inviting him to ours?"

Luna: "No, I just wanted to…"

Seika: "If he's not coming to your group, why help? Sometimes, you have to learn to manage things on your own."

Luna was surprised, but Seika's words made sense. Nikki observed the exchange and started to understand both perspectives better.

Nikki: "Wow, that was smart."

Seika: "What do you mean?"

Nikki: "What you said. You really know what you're talking about."

Seika: "I just said what I thought."

Nikki walked away, but Lena ran after her.

Lena: "Why are you leaving?"

Nikki: "I feel weird."

Lena: "Did you eat something bad?"

Nikki: "No, I just said something strange."

Lena: "You only said what you felt."

Nikki: "Yeah, but…"

Lena: "Then it's not weird. I'm weird too."

Nikki: "Why are you weird?"

Lena: "My family says I'm crazy about animals, but I just love them."

Nikki: "That's not the same."

Lena: "We're not the same either."

Nikki: "You don't get me."

Lena: "We're all crazy about something."

Nikki: "What?"

Lena: "You're not like others, and I'm not like you."

Nikki: "Yeah, I'm me, and you're you."

Lena: "Why does everyone have to be the same?"

Nikki: "I didn't say that."

Lena: "You're okay. I like you."

Nikki: "Why are you saying that?"

Lena: "I thought you wanted to hear it."

Nikki: "I never said that."

Lena: "But you do, right?"

Nikki: "I…"

Lena: "Should I take it back?"

Nikki: "No, uh, no, it's fine."

Lena grinned at Nikki.

Lena: "Are we friends now?"

Nikki: "I don't even know your name."

Lena: "I'm Lena."

Nikki: "Yeah, I heard your name. And I'm…"

Lena: "Nikki."

Nikki: "Yeah, that's right. How do you know my name?"

Lena: "You introduced yourself, and I listened."

Nikki: "I didn't expect that. Usually, no one listens so carefully."

Lena: "Why not? If you introduce yourself, people listen."

Nikki: "Yeah, I guess. But…"

Lena: "No buts."

Nikki: "You're not my mom!"

Lena: "But now we're friends, and that makes me so happy!"

Nikki: "I didn't say yes."

Lena's eyes filled with tears.

Lena: "So you don't want to be my friend?"

Nikki: "I didn't say that… Okay, fine, I'll say yes."

Lena: "So yes?"

Nikki: "Yes, I'll be your friend."

Lena: "Yay! My first friend!"

Lena's tears turned into tears of joy.

Nikki: "Do you have to be so loud?"

Lena: "Yes, I'm just so happy!"

After Nikki left, Luna and Seika continued talking. Luna slowly began to understand that sometimes it was better not to intervene.

Luna: "I get it now. I can't help him, or everything will go wrong."

Seika: "That's not true, Luna. Your thoughts are good; you just need to know when to act on them."

Luna: "Wow, you're really smart."

Seika blushed and looked away. It felt good to be called smart, even if she didn't hear it often.

Seika: "Do you want to join my group?"

Luna: "Me? Really?"

Seika: "Yes, your name means moon. I think that's beautiful."

Luna: "I didn't even know that!"

Leonardo's Search for a Group

Leonardo approached them.

Leonardo: "Hey, can I join your group? I'm great at dancing!"

Seika: "But we never said we like dancing."

Luna: "I like music."

Leonardo: "Then we're a group now?"

Seika: "I didn't say yes."

Luna: "Oh, he's nice."

Seika: "I don't know if he's really nice."

Leonardo: "I can even carry your bag!"

Seika: "I never asked for that."

Luna giggled softly. Seika sighed.

Seika: "Please leave. We don't want you in our group."

Leonardo: "I'm not giving up."

Seika: "Maybe you should. We don't want you."

Leonardo walked away, disappointed. Lena and Nikki later accepted him into their group, thinking he might fit in after all.

The Leftover Boys

Luna and Seika got along from the start, though neither knew exactly why. The rest of the class quickly found groups, leaving only Kevin, Jonathan, and Lucas.

Jonathan: "Why are we the ones left?"

Lucas: "Everything happened so fast."

Kevin: "We're still three people and need a group."

Jonathan: "Then we're a group?"

Lucas: "Yes!"

Jonathan: "We're a group and friends."

Kevin: "Group, yes. Friends, no."

Lucas: "But friends do everything together."

Jonathan: "Then let's play soccer!"

Kevin: "Why do you want to play with me?"

Jonathan: "My mom says no one should be alone."

Lucas: "Yeah, we're here!"

Lucas tapped Kevin: "You're it!" and ran off. Kevin sighed but followed. Jonathan laughed, but the teacher soon stopped them because running in the hallway was against the rules.