He could smell the ocean from his front stoop, the humidity of it even reaching him as he walked outside. That was a really strange sensation. Before moving here, Sam Dullard had never even seen the ocean, although he had wanted to, and his father promised to bring him many times. Still now, he didn't feel like looking at it. He stared at the ground, trying to forget that he was now in what seemed like another country. No, rather, another planet.
Some kids from across the way were sitting in their garage, laughing and seemed to be having fun, but Sam had no desire to join them. He just wouldn't belong with a group like that, he was sure. And living near to them, he would soon enough be the butt of their jokes... Sam sat by himself outside as he thought, not wanting to face the mess inside the house.
A neighbor lady came to greet them, she had violet colored hair, and as Sam stared at it, he was even more surprised to learn that her first name was Violet. He thought she was nice enough, that was, until she insisted on introducing him to the other kids that lived in their cul-de-sac. As he saw them close up, he noticed that they were all well-tanned, and taller than him. He felt very short indeed as they stared at him as if he were an alien, invading their pleasant town. And he felt like he was as well. Sam started to talk to them, eventually finding a common interest with the girl, who was also in his grade. He relaxed a little, maybe he wouldn't be a complete outcast around here. She was so nice, and the boys seemed to be trying to be nice as well, asking them to come and join in their sport activity. Reggie, the girl, actually insisted he had to.
Sam knew he didn't belong on the concrete, smacking a puck back and forth. It wasn't him, it wasn't even similar to anything he'd be good at. At first he was proven right, but eventually the group found a position for him on their team, insisting he would be a great goalie. Sam agreed to participate, as if it were a strange custom they would be insulted if he backed away from. He joined their team, he played the game more and often, finding he wasn't as bad as he thought he'd be, and before he could catch himself, he was even having fun.
But even if could participate in games with the locals, even if there was someone who admired and had use for his technical knowledge, Sam still didn't feel he belonged. This wasn't his home, this wasn't there he grew up, or should continue growing up. It was only a temporary residence of his, where he was still the outsider, the dunce. Even if it was where he'd probably live now for years to come.
His new friends, Otto and Twister, teased him for his lack of skill, and after a while Sam had the desire to impress them. He found it strange, before he hadn't cared much about what people thought of his talent, or lack of in this case, when it came to these kinds of things. Why did he care now? The question became lost as he practiced, and eventually did impress the two with his improvement. Although they still teased him.
"Check this out." Sam said to Otto a random day. "I've really been practicing, I think I can pull it off now." Sam attempted a trick that Otto could do so easily, and almost thought he'd done it, when at the end he crashed. Otto laughed as he fell face first onto the concrete, and Sam felt as if he were burning with embarrassment.
He was surprised Otto walked over to him, and helped him up, a smile on his face, but a genuine one, no mocking or ridicule seemed present as he spoke. "That was a good one, Squid. For you I mean. Keep it up, maybe one day you'll come a little close to catching up to me!" It was a compliment, as much as Otto could compliment someone else.
Sam dusted himself off, and then smiled as well. Otto and Twister didn't tease him because they hated him, there was no real malice behind it. They were friends. And that was why Sam cared about looking better in their eyes, because, he considered them friends as well. Not just someone he talked to, friends, but real, honest friends. "Thanks man." he said, before he and Otto went to catch up with Reggie and Twister.
Another day Sam sat on the beach by himself. It was before a hocky game, a few months after he had moved from Kansas. Unlike when he had first moved there, Kansas felt as far away as it was. And it seemed like such a long time ago he'd been there, maybe even years ago, although it was still fresh in his mind. What also seemed a distant memory unsure was when he thought he could never be part of a group. He studied the waves as they crashed in front of him. The landscape still seemed alien, only now it was also friendly to him. A question came to his mind. Was it possible that he really could belong here? Or maybe even that he really did?
Well, as much as he did anywhere. He was very different from the residents here, but it was the same in Kansas. He belonged here as much as he did there, and going further from that, anywhere.
"Hey Squid! What are you doing just sitting around there like a shoobie?" Otto as well as his other two friends approached him, annoyed.
"Yeah, we've been looking all over for you." Reggie added.
"Hurry up! We need you." Twister said.
"Right guys. Sorry!" Sam got up, and then ran off with the rest of the group.
Yeah, as much as he did anywhere. And more than he ever had before.
The End