Stephen runs into the kitchen.

Stephen: Mama, mama, can I play with Jake? That is our new neighbor. They just moved in. He's my age.

Amy: Yes, sure, ask him to come over later, so I can watch you.

Stephen: Okay, yes. They are just unloading their car.

Stephen runs out the back door and Amy watches him from the kitchen window running into the neighbor's garden.

Amy: I am so glad he found a friend.

Sheldon walks into the kitchen and takes a bottle of water.

Amy: Jake will come over later, Stephen's new friend.

Sheldon: Oh how did they meet?

Amy: He just moved in. Stephen was outside, walking a bit with Mary and Connie.

Sheldon: Connie can already walk? Wasn't I only working for a couple hours?

Amy: Yes, she was in the stroller.

Sheldon: Oh good. But well, she is super smart, so I would not be surprised if she learned walking much earlier than most people.

Amy: Yes, we have wonderful kids.

In the evening, Amy prepares dinner for the family. When the door bell rings, she opens the door. A man with a little boy in Stephen's age smiles at her.

Colin: I'm Colin Evans, your new neighbor and this is my son Jake. Say hello, Jake.

Jake: Hello.

Stephen comes to the door, takes Jake's hand and drags him into the living room.

Amy: Welcome, Colin. I'm Amy.

Colin: Hi, nice to meet you. Your son saw us when we were unpacking before and he instantly talked to Jake. I'm so happy, hope things will get better here.

Amy: Oh, I'm sorry what happened?

Colin: Kids made fun of him cause he loves wearing skirts. Kids can be really mean. He didn't want to go to kindergarten anymore.

Amy shocked: What? Oh I'm so sorry.

Colin: Plus I got a new job here, so we try to start fresh and hope for the best.

Amy: People used to make fun of my clothes as well, but that was more in high school.

Colin: I think it was the teachers and the parents. It was a very conservative neighborhood. They said they feel offended by his clothes and that the teachers should not allow boys to wear skirts.

Amy: Skirts and dresses are very comfortable. I only wear them, so I totally understand your son. However, I have female friends who prefer pants and I would never judge them. Do you want to come in for some coffee or have dinner with us as well? I cooked for way too many anyway.

She invites him in, and Colin nods.

Colin: Well, thank you very much. That is very kind of you.

They walk into the kitchen and sit at the table.

Colin: I hope I don't keep you from anything. Or shall I help?

Amy: No, I am done, it only has to cook a bit longer on the stove. You can help me later, setting the table. Just sit, I will get you a coffee.

Colin sits down, Amy gives him a cup of coffee and sits down opposite of him at the table.

Amy: How did that start? I don't understand how people can be so judgmental.

Colin: I don't really know, Jake used to keep it to himself for very long.

Amy: That is so horrible. I have always been alone, never had a friend in school. Hearing this just makes me cry. Why are kids so cruel?

Colin: I think they get it from their parents. They don't know about kids like Jake, and that is when the talk bad. They don't care. They don't even try to understand or actually see him. They think. He is an alien or something. I just don't know what I am supposed to do. I try to talk to them, but they felt sorry for me, that my child was a freak. Can you imagine how I felt hearing that?

Amy sighs and pats his shoulder.

Amy: Believe me, I get this more than you can imagine. Kids made fun of my clothes and the way I talked, what I said, just everything seemed to be wrong. I thought I was wrong. They got me this far to actually start believing I was the mistake.

Colin: I'm glad we moved here. Seems it the right choice for me to look for another job.

Amy: It is so ... you had to move to protect your son. Go somewhere else only because people could not accept your son the way he is. If we were all like that and nobody would accept anyone else, where would that lead us?

Amy stands up, walks around in the kitchen.

Colin: I believe in the good in people. I think kids have to learn about diversity. Teachers should tell them in school how important acceptance is. I think with Social Media things get even worse. Kids are so insecure, they feel they have to be perfect, feel the pressure among their peers and try to fit in as they don't want to become a potential target.

Amy: Sounds like we have a duty as parents. We have to make things better for our kids. Lte's start an initiative.

She grabs her laptop and comes back to the table.

Amy: We have to come up with something that will make them see how hurtful their words are.

Colin: But how? I don't want to be like them, and tease them for how they look only that they know how it feels like. This would not be better. It is what I want to avoid, but I think it's the only way to make them relate.

Amy: I think they know very well how hurtful it is. I once read in an article that actually most bullies have been bullied before or fear they might will be. It is some sort of self defense, to scare people off to even think of bullying them.

Colin: I tried talking to the parents, but that didn't work. Some even said, my son deserves this and crap like that.

Amy: What does your wife say about this?

Colin sighs, looks into another direction in the kitchen than to Amy.

Colin: She died last year.

Amy: Oh my... I'm so sorry.

Colin: Yes, makes things even harder for Jake. He thinks God is a bully for taking his mom, and that everyone hates him. He is so young, he is only 6. It's time for a new start here. I am so glad your son was instantly talking and playing with him. I haven't seen Jake smiling for a long time.

Amy: We taught Stephen to be open-minded about people, treat them always as he wants to be treated.

Sheldon walks into the room.

Sheldon: Hello. Amy, I don't want to be rude, but it's dinner time. We are already two minutes late.

Amy: Oh yes, I will set the table. Maybe you can help Colin. He is Jake's father.

Sheldon: Oh the kid Stephen is playing with?

Colin: Yes, hello.

Sheldon: Just yesterday I gave him a book about how to have friends. He is such a fast learner, it's incredible.

Amy, while setting the table: Jake gets bullied because he wears a skirt.

Sheldon: Why is that a reason to bully him?

Amy smiles: See, that is one of the many reasons I love my husband.

Sheldon: I never really understand human behavior. It's so complex. Physics is easy and logical. People are not.

Colin: Well, many people care about how someone looks. They think skirts are exclusively for girls, and so are glitter, high heels and the color pink.

Sheldon: That is ridiculous. I have worn all of these, and not only for Comic Con.

Amy: People learn that how a person has to be instead of learning how to be their true selves. My greatest fear had always been being me. I thought people would not like me. I mean they showed me they didn't like what I wore or said, so I tried to hide. I didn't want to talk to anyone, the fear of being judged was too big. When my mother told me I would find a boyfriend one day, I felt like even she made fun of me. I went to the dates she set me up to, and when I was about to give up on ever finding someone, I found Sheldon. I know how important it is to have people who actually believe you. Feeling alone is what makes everything worse.

Colin: Would you try to talk about this in front of the whole school? I think, people would love to hear your story.

Amy: I don't know. It's personal and I still feel people will make fun of me.

Colin: You have a husband, two kids, a beautiful house. You seem confident. And maybe when these kids hear your story, they will think about it in case they will ever get in such a situation. They know they are not alone, and have a right to be their beautiful selves, no matter how much it differs them from the people directly around them. They will use Social Media to find like-minded people and become a voice, a strong force against the haters.

Amy: I don't know.

Sheldon: You can do this, Amy. You can be a role-model to these kids. You know how they feel, so they are more likely to come to you than to a therapist.

Colin: You said it's our duty as parents to do something. I was very moved by your story. And I want to prevent that here the same things will happen than at his old school.

Amy: Okay. I wish I had someone talking about this, so I will do this. I will talk to the kids.

Colin: And teachers. It's important to talk about this before it becomes an issue and everyone is too scared to get in the middle and do something against it.

Stephen walks in, holding Jake's hand.

Stephen: Mama, when will we have dinner? We are five minutes late.

Amy smiles: Sit down, honey, and you too Jake. You and your father will have dinner with us today. We are so happy that you are here and welcome you to our family.

Jake smiles: Thank you, Mrs Cooper.

Sheldon: She is actually Mrs Fowler-C...

Amy: Sheldon.

Sheldon: What?

Amy: I like to be Mrs Cooper. Let's sit together and eat. I will get Mary and Connie. I'll be right back.

She leaves the kitchen. Stephen and Jake sit next to each other.

Stephen: You will love this. Mom is the best cook, and she gives the best hugs.

When Amy comes back with Connie and Mary following her, Stephen hugs Jake.

Stephen: I think we will be more than friends, we will be siblings.

Jake and Colin smile. Colin wipes away a tear. They start eating dinner together after Mary says grace.

Thanks so much for reading my new chapter. It means a lot. Please share your thoughts with me and leave me a review. Thank you.

Next chapter coming soon.

XO Sanny