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IT WAS THE SPRING OF 1999 AND A 7 th 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.
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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…
We begin with a typical Friday night @ Ashlee’s house. The girls are doing their makeup, gossiping, and ‘attempting’ to call boys. Ok, who’s gonna call Luke? I called Johnny so it’s someone else’s turn! Sarah you should do it! Hang up! Hang up! Alright, give me the phone. Hey!
A week or so later, the girls are joined together at Sarah’s house just hanging out in her mom’s bathroom. Let’s weigh ourselves and find out. I wonder if I weigh 100 lbs. yet. OMG me too! I’m always right around there. Shut up! Me too! K, I’ll go first. So am I.
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Ok who’s next? I’ll go.
Hey I’m 101 too! Last, but not least, Ashlee. Sarah, your turn.
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. So you wanna see that new movie, Save the Last Dance, tonight? She has to…she promised…she will definitely be there! 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!
Yeah! 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! Hey girls! Hey Sarah…so what time should we all meet up for the movie tonight?
The following week in Mrs. Zawlocki’s class, the girls were passing notes discussing their weekend plans. With Sarah’s absence in the group, Allie soon began to acquire the lead role. Kelcy and Ashlee were following her every move. Sarah saw this as the perfect opportunity to unleash the grand finale of her plan. 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. This is how it went down… 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.
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 Ash I 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!
Sarah reads the note to herself… 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. 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! 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!
Sarah shows what she wrote to both Kelcy and Ash before it reaches Allie’s desk…
Allie reads the newest addition to the note… glances at her ‘friends’…and begins to cry… 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
Do you want to go out in the hall? Allie, can you come up here please. What just happened? What’s wrong? Allie nods her head yes. Mrs. Zawlocki notices Allie crying at her desk… Yes? Sniffles... Class, continue working silently and I will be right back.
What a tremendous compliment! She is my favorite teacher and I admire her an incredible amount. The girls treated me the same way in middle school. Honestly, Allie, you remind me of myself at your age. 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. 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! Here’s some Kleenex...now tell me what happened. Allie blushes
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. 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. You will learn that you cannot control other people and you just have to continue being yourself and tell the truth. 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.
Go against the flow. Walk to your own tune. Be true to yourself. 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.
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 passes Mrs. Z in the hallway and smiles. Mrs. Z grins and winks back. Allie thinks to herself.
