Part Two, Charlotte

• Piya Dua, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2021

“Maybe we can find a place to feel good and we can treat people with kindness find place to feel good”

As you know I was one of the students Mr. Tushman picked, along with Jack and Julian, to meet with August. My mum did not really tell me about him so I said “sure” to meet him, but I cannot explain what my face looked like and what I was thinking. It was like a complete shock, I tried not to show my expression, but I think he noticed it. His head was faced towards the ground. I felt sorry for him because everyone would make fun of him due to his face and they would talk about him behind his back.

After that day I had seen August at the park, the shops, and some other places. Once school had started I never really talked to August, but every once and a while I would say “hi” to him. On the first day, I was quite surprised that Summer went and sat down with Auggie, Summer, and August became friends, and I was pretty shocked about that, I mean Summer is a nice girl but I didn’t expect her to become friends with Auggie. After about One month everything was normal except for Auggie.

It was the weekend, and it was close to Halloween, I was at the shops with my mum, and I saw Jack and Julian in the other aisle, and I saw Auggie and his mum over there. I had overheard some of the things they were saying, I went to go and tell them that Auggie was coming and to talk about something else. But I was too late and Auggie heard me telling them to “say something else and not mean things about Auggie because he was coming over here”.

That is when it happened a big fight between Auggie and Julian and me and Jack were stuck in the middle between them fighting, both kept on asking Jack and me like “did I say this” or “did I do that,” and that was very frustrating for both of us. Until Julian said it “your face is horrible you look very ugly, in fact, you are horrible yourself.” That had created a cold war between them.

Jack quickly told Auggie just ignore him, let’s go somewhere elseWhile they were going outside, I saw Auggies mum and my mum talking about what had just freacked out by Auggies face, she was so normal was it because of what Julian did. She just felt sorry for Auggie and thought how he would feel about that comment, and all the other things people would say to him/ all the weird looks he would get.

At school, the next day there was a big fight and of course me and Jack were stuck in the middle like yesterday. Jack was also stuck deciding whose side he should be on, because they kept saying “Jack on my side,” of course Summer was on Auggies side. Until Mr. Tussman came over and overheard what Julian said about Auggie and he was furious. Everybody on Julian’s side got a detention including Jack.

Auggie told Mr. Tussman something and Jack was saved from detention. As jack walked past me, I told him “you should be grateful you have a friend like Auggie.” He did not reply though.