The new Kid

There was a 12-year-old boy called Jake. He lived in Lima with his dad. He went to school with his friends, the three of them were his best friends ever since they met. He was very happy with his life.

Jake had lived with his dad since he was 7, because his mom died in a car accident. He hadn’t had a very good relationship with her, he had liked playing with his dad more when he was little. The moment Jake found out that she had died, he recognized all the time he hadn´t spent with her, and that he could no longer be with her. It greatly affected his childhood until he was nine.

One day, Jake’s dad was talking with his friend on the phone for half an hour. He looked worried and started noticing the cheapness of the food. He assumed they were becoming poor. For eight minutes, he got out of the room with the phone. Jake was very worried.

“Are we poor?” Jake asked his dad the moment he got out.

“No, we aren´t poor, yet.” – He answered worried and continued. “Son, there is a job in Arequipa, and I really need it. This is not going to be like before, so I need you to stay strong. Can you do that for us?”

“I guess I can.”

Jake and his friends had a plan in case someone moved out of town, to remain friends. Each night, or at least three times a week, they would call each other to catch up and talk. They would also play videogames online when they could. It also had other details that made it foolproof.

Jake’s moving, meant a different house, a different neighborhood, and a different school. They didn´t have many other options because it also meant for his dad having a job, which they needed.

In school, the kids accepted him in their classes. They were nice to him, but everything was fine for him when he was with his other friends. He missed his funny and kind friends from his hometown. Two weeks later he missed them more when the plan somehow failed. Wasn’t it supposed to be foolproof?

He was alone in the crowd of students each recess. People accepted him, but they didn’t find him special. No one tried to chat with him nor picked him in activities. Until in one recess, a child from his class approached him.

“Hi, what is your name?” He asked.

“Hi, I’m Jake, the new kid.”

“Oh, nice to meet you. I´m Richard.”

“Ha, it isn´t easy to find someone like you here.”

“Thanks. Do you want to hear a joke?”

“Sure.”

Richard’s jokes were funny and gave him a nice feeling. He was a very nice person and we played fun games. Everything was as good as in home, except that it somehow felt better to Jake. None of his old friends were as funny as Richard or as skilled as him in games.

Jake’s dad got enough money to pay for what we need. The next year he started giving him surprise presents. Jake was even happier, and he barely got bored or sad there. Meanwhile in school, Richard always supported him and was always his friend.