What! A New School!

Written by Jeanne Myrick & La'Nardo Myrick Sr.

Illustrated by La'Nardo Myrick Sr.

Published by KLM Enterprises Services Publishing
Kansas City, MO

Second Revision

Pages: 23

Copyright  2024

Available at Storyjumper.com & Magcloud.com

    Jeanne seemed happy as she walked in from another day of middle school at Brookside Charter. The sun was still shining brightly, casting a warm, golden glow on the neighborhood. Birds chirped cheerfully in the background, making the day seem even more joyful. As she got close to the home office, she could hear her parents speaking. Their voices were low but filled with hope and concern. "Yeah, you think we can afford to send her to that school? I've heard a lot of great things about it. It's going to be tight on our budget, and we might have to cut back on a few things, but we can do it,” Mom said in an affirming tone. Dad, with a hint of sacrifice in his voice, added, “Well, I guess my bowling and movie nights are gone.” He said it with a sad look on his face, but there was a sparkle in his eyes, the kind that showed his love and dedication.

    Jeanne's heart skipped a beat. 'What, a new school?' she thought. Her mind raced with excitement and a twinge of nervousness. She walked away, stopping in the garage, her little sanctuary where she often thought about big things. 'I have to call Arielle, Ahmilyun, and Da'niyah to tell them. A new school?' The thought of leaving her

current school made her heart heavy. She loved her friends, her teachers, and everything about Brookside Charter.

    Sulking, she walked towards her bedroom, her steps slower than usual. "I’m going to miss my teacher, Ms. Fisher; she was the nicest. And, oh, I'm going to miss Mr. Alford and the drumline. I'll really miss playing the tenor drum..." Her voice trailed off as she got lost in her thoughts.

    Suddenly, her younger brother, Man-Man, came running past her, his little feet pounding on the floor. "Move, move," he shouted, in his usual playful manner. Jeanne started to scold him, but then she paused. She thought about how, in the new school, she wouldn't be there to look out for Man-Man. 'Who's gonna walk Man-Man to his elementary room? Who's gonna be there for Man-Man after school to walk him to the carpool area?' She worried about the little boys that sometimes pushed too much. 'Who's gonna stop the boys from pushing my little brother?'

    Jeanne walked into her room, a mix of emotions swirling inside her.

Man skidded to a halt, his eyes widening. "What did you say, Jeanne?" Jeanne put on her best mischievous face, "You’re going to be all alone, my pretty, all alone.” Man-Man's frown deepened, a look of genuine concern etching his features.

    As Jeanne continued to the office, she overheard her parents chatting about dinner. “So, we had chicken and pasta yesterday, maybe we should go out to eat,” Dad suggested, trying to lighten the mood. Mom laughed, teasing him, “See, you are already trying to spend money,” as Jeanne walked in. “Did you guys call me?” she asked curiously. Mom took a deep breath and explained about the new school, Pembroke Hill Private School. She talked about the shadow day and the exciting opportunities awaiting Jeanne there. Dad chimed in with a hint of humor, “We sent our application to Mr. Bart in the  admissions department.” He joked about private schools being where parents lose their bowling and date nights, making Jeanne giggle.

    That night, as Mom tucked Man-Man into bed, he asked with big, worried eyes, “Is Jeanne leaving me by myself?” Mom explained gently,

She put her backpack on the bed, grabbed her teddy bear, and leaned back, gazing at the ceiling. "I’m going to a new school. I am the one who looks out for my little brother. Do they know how hard it is to be a big sister?" She sighed deeply. "Shan and Shonda have gone to other schools. What if he gets lost or scared by the bigger boys?" Jeanne's thoughts were interrupted by the Amazon Echo device making an announcement, “Jeanne, come here to the office.” With a sigh, Jeanne rose up off the bed and went out the door. Leaving the teddy bear behind on the bed.

    As she walked towards the office, her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. But deep down, she knew that change was a part of life, and with it came new adventures and opportunities. She was nervous, yes, but also excited about what lay ahead. 'A new school, a new beginning,' she thought, her heart starting to fill with a sense of adventure and curiosity about what the future held.

    "Hey, move out of the way!" Man-Man's voice echoed through the hallway as he zoomed by Jeanne like a little race car. Jeanne couldn't help but tease him, "I'm going to a new school, and you're not." Man-

reassuring him that Jeanne would always be there for him, even if they were at different schools.

    The next day at school, Jeanne hesitated before sharing her news with her friends that morning. The cafeteria buzzed with the usual breakfast chatter as she approached her group. “I'm sorry, guys. I meant to call you all. I have some news to share, and it's not good,” Jeanne started, her voice heavy with emotion. The table went silent, everyone turning to her with curious and concerned expressions.

    Tray broke the silence as he walked up, “Hey, everybody, how y'all doing?” But he quickly caught the serious tone and sat down, listening intently as Jeanne shared her news about Pembroke Hill Private School. "No way," Abri exclaimed in disbelief. Arielle, Da’Niya, and the others reacted with a mix of shock and curiosity.

    The mood at breakfast in Brookside Charter's bustling cafeteria shifted dramatically when Jeanne shared her news. Usually filled with the lively chatter and clinking of cutlery, the place fell 

unusually quiet. Especially Arielle, who had always been the most cheerful and chatty in the group, suddenly stopped eating, her fork hovering in mid-air. Jeanne's friends, usually so full of laughter and jokes, sat in shock and amazement, their eyes wide and mouths slightly open. Even the constant hum of the cafeteria seemed to quiet down, as if the whole school was holding its breath after Jeanne's announcement.

    Jeanne spoke slowly, carefully choosing her words. "So, I guess I'll be trading our wild cafeteria food fights for fancy luncheons," she tried to joke, attempting to lighten the mood. But even her attempt at humor couldn't cut through the thick air of surprise that enveloped the table. Jeanne's news had turned their usual boisterous breakfast into a scene more like a library than the lively morning breakfast in the cafeteria they all knew and loved. “What's a private school?” Da'Niya wondered aloud. Arielle explained, painting a picture of a place that seemed almost magical – better food, teachers, and facilities. “But who cares about all that?” Arielle suddenly stood up, her voice tinged with sadness. “Jeanne is leaving

Brookside. No more track or drumline together.” She walked away, leaving the table in a somber mood.

    As Jeanne and other at the table were tidying up their area, Tray sauntered over, his usual playful grin on his face. "So, a new school, huh?" he asked, nudging Jeanne lightly with his elbow. Jeanne shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips despite the swirl of emotions inside her. "Yeah, I guess I'm upgrading to a school with better food and hopefully more time to eat," she joked, trying to keep the mood light. Tray chuckled, "What? You don’t like the half cooked chicken nuggets." Jeanne playfully rolled her eyes, "Oh please, Tray, I never liked those nuggets. Sometimes they were cooked, sometimes they weren't.“ The pair laughed, easing the bittersweet tension with a bit of humor as they walked alongside each other, their friendship a constant in the sea of change.

    In P.E. class, Jeanne felt her heart sink a little as she looked around the familiar gym. Coach Nate, ever the motivator, was rallying the middle schoolers. "Let’s start running them 21 laps around the court.