Maya and the Bench by the Big Oak

Chapter 1: A child who feels lonely at a new school

Maya's family had moved across the country in the middle of the school year, and now she stood at the gate of Willowbrook Elementary, clutching the straps of her new backpack.

Everything felt too big. The hallways were loud. The kids already seemed to know each other, laughing in clusters like flocks of birds. Even the smell of the school was different, like crayons and floor polish instead of the old classroom she missed so much.

"This is Maya," said Mrs. Patel, her teacher, with a warm smile. "She's joining us from far away. Let's make her feel welcome."

A few children waved. One boy said "Hi" without looking up from his pencil. Then everyone went back to their work, and Maya slid into the empty desk at the back.

At lunchtime, she carried her tray around the cafeteria. Every table looked full. Every seat seemed saved for someone else. She ended up eating alone at the end of a long table, pretending to be very interested in her sandwich.

At recess, she stood by the fence and watched a game of tag. Her feet wanted to join in. But her heart said, What if they say no? What if they laugh?

So she stayed where she was.

That night, she curled up in bed next to a stack of unpacked boxes. "I don't have any friends here," she whispered. "I'm all alone."

Her mother sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her hair. "That sounds really hard, sweetheart. Feeling lonely when everything is new is very normal. Almost everyone feels it at some point."

"It doesn't feel normal," Maya sniffled. "It feels like I'm invisible."