The First Meeting
It was a cold Monday morning when Riya joined Greenwood High School. She stood near the classroom door, clutching her school bag tightly. Everything felt new — the building, the faces, the voices. She had shifted to the city only a week ago because of her father's job transfer. This was her first day in a completely new world.
The classroom was buzzing with students talking, laughing, and sharing weekend stories. Riya hesitated before stepping inside.
"Good morning, Ma'am," she said softly.
The class teacher, Mrs. Sen, smiled warmly. "Good morning! Class, this is Riya. She is new to our school. I hope you will all make her feel welcome."
Some students smiled politely. A few whispered among themselves. Riya felt her cheeks grow warm as she walked to an empty seat in the last row.
Throughout the first period, she tried to focus on the lesson, but her mind wandered. Will I make friends? Will they like me? she wondered.
During recess, she quietly opened her lunchbox. Just then, a cheerful voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Hi! I'm Aarav. You're new, right?"
Riya looked up to see a boy with bright eyes and a friendly smile standing in front of her.
"Yes," she replied nervously. "I joined today."
"Welcome to Greenwood!" Aarav said. "Do you want to sit with us?"
Before she could answer, two other students joined them — Meera and Kabir.
"We heard you like drawing," Meera said excitedly. "Mrs. Sen told us you won a prize in your previous school."
Riya's eyes widened. "Yes, I love sketching."
"That's amazing!" Kabir said. "We're preparing decorations for the Annual Science Fair. Maybe you can help?"
For the first time that day, Riya smiled genuinely. "I'd love to."
The next few days passed quickly. Riya began helping the group with posters and charts. Her artwork impressed everyone. She carefully painted diagrams and added colorful titles that made the projects stand out.
One afternoon, while they were working in the library, Aarav accidentally spilled water on one of the charts.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed, panic in his voice.
The colors began to spread, ruining hours of hard work. Kabir looked upset. Meera sighed.
Riya took a deep breath. "It's okay. Accidents happen. We can fix this."
She suggested redesigning the chart with a better layout. The group stayed after school, working together. They laughed, shared ideas, and encouraged one another. By evening, the new poster looked even better than before.
"You saved us," Aarav said gratefully.
Riya shook her head. "No, we did it together."
That day, something changed. It was no longer just about a school project — it was about teamwork and trust.
Finally, the day of the Science Fair arrived. The school auditorium was decorated with colorful banners and models. Parents, teachers, and students filled the hall.
When the judges reached their stall, Riya felt nervous. Aarav presented the model confidently, Meera explained the experiment, and Kabir described the results. Riya stood beside their display, proud of their work.
Later that afternoon, the results were announced.
"And the first prize goes to… Group 7B!"
They looked at each other in disbelief before jumping with joy. Riya could hardly believe it.
As they went on stage to receive their certificate, Mrs. Sen smiled proudly at them. "Excellent teamwork," she said.
Riya realized something important at that moment. She had walked into the classroom feeling alone and afraid. But her first meeting with Aarav and the others had changed everything.
Friendship had turned her fear into confidence.
On the way home, Riya thought about her first day. What had seemed scary at first had become the beginning of something beautiful. Sometimes, all it takes is one kind smile, one simple "hello," to change someone's world.
And for Riya, that first meeting was not just the start of a new school year — it was the start of lifelong friendships.
Moral:
New beginnings may seem frightening, but they often bring wonderful friendships and opportunities.