Dear Diary,
Today we got our first official buddy case. Her name is Izzy Miller and she just transferred here from across the state. Her parents got divorced and she had to move with her mom. She misses her dad, her old friends, her old life.
Mrs. De Wit introduced us during lunch. Izzy was so quiet, barely making eye contact. Her shoulders were hunched up like she was trying to make herself invisible. I recognized that posture immediately. That was me three months ago.
Maya took the lead, which I was grateful for. "Hey Izzy, I'm Maya, and this is my friend. We're your welcome committee." She said it so naturally, like it was the easiest thing in the world.
We showed Izzy around the school, pointed out her locker, introduced her to a few teachers. She didn't say much, just nodded and followed us. At lunch, she sat between Maya and me, picking at her food. "So, where did you move from?" Maya asked gently. "Riverside," Izzy said quietly. "My parents just got divorced. My dad still lives there." "That must be really hard," I said. And I meant it. Different kind of pain than mine, but pain is pain.
Izzy looked up at me, and I saw tears in her eyes. "I miss him. And my friends. And my old school. Everything." Maya and I exchanged a look. "We get it," Maya said. "We both transferred here too. For different reasons, but we know how hard starting over is." "It gets better," I added. "We promise." Izzy gave us a small smile. Barely there, but real.
After school, I walked with her to the bus. She turned to me before getting on. "Thank you. For today." Just two words, but they meant everything.
When I got home, I told my parents about Izzy over dinner. "You're really good at this, sweetheart," my mom said, and I could see she meant it.
Tonight, lying in bed, I realized something. For months, I felt like my pain had no purpose. Like I went through all of that for nothing. But today, I helped someone feel a little less alone. And that helped me too.
Maybe that's the purpose. Not the fire itself, but what I choose to do after it.
Today I helped someone else. And it helped me too.
On Monday, we're meeting another new student. The buddy system is really happening. We're really doing this.
- G