It was the first day of school, and Meera sat on the bus, clutching her backpack like it held the last piece of home. Her family had just moved to Hillcrest Town. Everything felt too new—too different. She had no friends here.
Meera slid into the last seat by the window, hoping no one would notice her. Outside, the trees blurred as the bus rolled through narrow streets.
"Is this seat taken?" a voice interrupted.
Meera looked up. A girl with a wild ponytail and mismatched socks was pointing to the seat beside her.
"No," Meera mumbled.
The girl plopped down with a grin. "I'm Tara. You're new, huh?"
Meera nodded.
"Don't worry," Tara said, already digging through her bag. "I was the new kid last year. It's not so bad. Want gum?"
Meera hesitated. Then, slowly, she took it.
That one tiny act—a piece of gum—sparked something unexpected. By the time the bus reached school, Meera had laughed. Once. Maybe twice. And Tara had already decided that Meera was now "officially her bus buddy."
In class, Tara pulled Meera beside her. At lunch, she introduced her to a group of kids. Some were loud, others quiet, but no one laughed when Meera said she liked sketching clouds. Instead, Tara said, "Cool! You can draw my cat sometime. She thinks she's royalty."
Meera smiled.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
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Moral: Sometimes, all it takes is one brave hello to begin a beautiful friendship.
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