This story was created during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA & WGA strikes. Without the hard work of these incredible unions, the world of High School Musical The Musical The Series wouldn't exist. For more information about how you can help with the ongoing strikes, please refer to the link you can find on my profile.
Pre-Chapter Authors Note: The following songs are used throughout the course of this chapter:
Once Upon A Time - Descendants 3
Born To Fly - NerdOut & Halocene
Start Of Something New - High School Musical
Breaking Free - High School Musical
With that, please enjoy.
"I can't believe that you just have this air mattress just ready to go." I remarked.
"I always have this here, just in case you come by." Nini reveals.
"I don't know if I should be impressed, embarrassed, honored, or all of the above." I remarked.
"You're my best friend. I'll always look out for you." Nini reassures me.
"Well that's wonderful to hear." I said in response.
"And that will always be true, no matter the circumstances." Nini says.
"I would hope so. Now, I can't believe that I'm actually here! This is so cool." I remarked.
"Yeah! How have you been?" Nini asks.
"I just had to say goodbye to my girl band and my local teen theater group because I'm making the choice to move away from the area of pain that has given me lately, so not feeling the greatest right now, but I'm excited to have a fresh new start." I replied.
"That's awesome! I'm gonna go get you a pillow and then check on Ricky." Nini says.
"Sounds good." I said in response.
Let's be blunt here. I think I gotta tell Nini now about what happened. I need to let it out to somebody, and right now, she's the one person that I truly trust that's still alive.
And here she comes back. Come on Emma, you can do this…
"Ricky left." Nini reveals.
"Perhaps he felt bad or something." I suggested.
"Maybe." Nini says in response.
"Anyway, I'm so excited to get a fresh new start, away from the place that caused so much pain." I stated with excitement.
"That's awesome, but what do your parents have to say about you doing all of this?" Nini asks, oblivious to what had happened to me.
And there it is…
I have to tell my best friend the truth, and nothing but the truth. This can't go any other way…
"They died Nini…" I stated, the tears building in my eyes, waiting to finally burst.
"What do you mean they died…?" Nini asks, confused as to what changed from when the two of us last spoke to one another, and now.
"Not long after we got off our call a few weeks ago, officers came by the house, saying it's under investigation, after my father shot my mother and then shot himself. I knew they were going to separate, and I knew it was going to be tough, but they were both still going to be alive, and now they're both gone…" I replied, the tears finally letting loose.
I then embraced Nini, this time just for a moment. Then, while I would never be able to shake it away entirely (no matter what I attempt to do), I try to sing my pain away.
"Me (singing): Here I am alone, and maybe I deserve it / And my friends, well, they're mostly non-existent / And that's on me / I had a cause to help but did I help it? / Or did I see myself in a way that wasn't true? / This is not my father's fairytale / And no, it's not my mother's fault I fail / So when my story finally comes to light…"
Nini, seeing me in the state that I'm in after all that, decides to try and make the situation better, by some good ol' singing of her own. As soon as I realize what's happening, I end up joining her as well.
"Nini (singing): All these flashes within your mind / You need to find the key that's in the present / All this power you feel inside"
"Me (singing): It's time to make my stand"
"Nini (singing): You're not sending no apologies"
"Me (singing): I'm not holding back any longer"
"Nini (singing): They wanna keep you down"
"Me (singing): I'd like to see them try"
"Me & Nini (singing): Hey, Hey, Hey"
"Me (singing): They're not getting what they want from me"
"Nini (singing): What didn't kill you made you stronger"
"Me (singing): They want to hold me down, I'd like to see them try"
"Me & Nini (singing): Cause I was born to fly"
"Me (singing): All these flashes within my mind / All this power I feel inside / Cause I was born to fly"
"Nini (singing): You're not sending no apologies"
"Me (singing): I'm not holding back any longer"
"Nini (singing): They wanna keep you down"
"Me (singing): I'd like to see them try"
"Me & Nini (singing): Hey, Hey, Hey"
"Me (singing): They're not getting what they want from me"
"Nini (singing): What didn't kill you made you stronger"
"Me (singing): They want to hold me down, I'd like to see them try / Cause I was born to fly"
Me and Nini then look at each other, for just a moment. Nini sees in me so much pain and so much emotion. She wishes she could do something for me, but as she would soon find out, she wouldn't have to really do much at all to help turn my life around…
"So where's your new start going to be?" Nini asks.
"Well, I had a long time to think about it…" I replied.
"And?" Nini asks.
"I thought it would be best for me to come to the place where you were, and where the good ol' High School Musical movies were shot." I stated, proudly.
"So you're coming to East High?" Nini asks, excitedly.
And then…
"Me (singing): This could be the start of something new / It feels so right to be here with you, oh / And now, lookin' in your eyes / I feel in my heart / The start of something new"
Nini then hugs me, in a moment of joy and happiness. This is a huge moment for me, but I could tell this is a huge moment for her as well, to have me nearby now on a regular basis.
"I need to become something different. I need to become something new. I need a fresh slate, and a fresh plate." I remarked.
"No matter what you've been going through, I know that your parents would be proud of you and what you're doing." Nini states.
"I'd like to think that too." I said in response.
We then sat there and talked, for about fifteen minutes. I was catching up on what was going on with Nini at East High, and Nini was asking what was going on to me. Then, we shifted focus to, what would be for now, my final trip back to Atlanta.
"So when do you need to go back for the final time?" Nini asks.
"Probably sometime within the next week. Technically it's my property now, so I have to be there for when it sells, which surprisingly will be soon since I got a message when I landed that someone wants to buy it." I replied.
"Nice! So it won't be long before you're here to stay?" Nini asks.
"Probably will fly back in the morning, get it done, pack my things up, and begin the trek out tomorrow afternoon." I replied.
"Awesome! And Em, maybe truly rock out with your girl band one more time. I know you already had a "final" show, but maybe it would help them out if you joined them again. I saw they've been having a rough time making their way without you." Nini suggests.
"Yeah for sure, and I think I know just the way to help them." I stated.
"Emma Wood singing magic?" Nini asks.
"Emma Wood singing magic." I confirmed.
And here I am, back in Atlanta. I sold the house officially earlier in the day, so yay, I'm free to move to East High full-time! Before I make the flight back home, though, as Nini suggested, I'm back where my girl band performs. I'm lurking in the audience, with an extra wireless microphone I grabbed while they weren't in here (knowing this place in and out because of how long I've performed here certainly helps), but now, like I said, I'm lurking at the back of the crowd, waiting for my moment to strike, and luckily, with the specific song they picked, I know exactly when my time to strike will be. What song did they pick to perform? Well, I think y'all will know it.
"Skye Cooper (singing): We're soarin', flyin'"
"Daniella Berry (singing): There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach"
"Maria Parker (singing): If we're tryin', so we're breakin' free"
"Mikaela Burns (singing): You know the world can see us / In a way that's different than who we are"
"Maria Parker (singing): Creating space between us 'til we're separate hearts"
"Daniella & Skye (singing): But your faith, it gives me strength"
"Maria & Mikaela (singing): Strength to believe"
"Entire Girl Band (singing): We're breakin' free"
"Mikaela Burns (singing): We're soarin', flyin'"
"Daniella & Skye (singing): There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach"
"Entire Girl Band (singing): If we're tryin', yeah, we're breakin' free"
"Maria & Mikaela (singing): Oh, we're breakin' free (Ooh-ooh-ooh)"
I then made sure that my mic was turned on, and I then came out from my hiding place in the back of the crowd, and started walking down the walkway towards the main stage. As I started to sing, both the audience and my girl band members were in complete shock that I was back, and still on my A-game.
"Me (singing): Can you feel it building? / Like a wave the ocean just can't control / Connected by a feelin', ooh, in our very souls (Very souls, oh) / Rising 'til it lifts us up, so everyone can see"
"Entire Girl Band (singing): We're breakin' free"
"Me (singing): We're soarin', flyin'"
"Maria & Mikaela (singing): There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach"
"Me (singing): If we're tryin', yeah, we're breakin' free
"Daniella & Skye (singing): Oh, we're breakin' free (Ooh-ooh-ooh)"
"Me (singing): Runnin', climbin' / To get to that place to be all that we can be"
"Maria & Mikaela (singing): Now's the time, so we're breakin' free"
"Entire Girl Band (singing): We're breakin' free (Ooh, yeah)"
"Me (singing): More than hope, more than faith"
"Daniella & Skye (singing): This is truth, this is fate"
"Maria & Mikaela (singing): And together we see it comin'"
"Me (singing): More than you, more than me / Not a want, but a need"
"Entire Girl Band (singing): All of us, breakin' free"
"Me (singing): Soarin', flyin'"
"Entire Girl Band (singing): There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach / If we're tryin', yeah, we're breakin' free (Breakin' free)"
"Maria & Mikaela (singing): We're runnin', ooh, climbin'"
"Daniella & Skye (singing): To get to that place to be all that we can be"
"Entire Girl Band (singing): Now's the time (Now's the time), so we're breakin' free / Oh, we're breakin' free (Oh)"
"Me (singing): You know the world can see us / In a way that's different than who we are"
After everyone in the audience left after their 10-minute standing ovation, I had some time to talk with my girl band girls, and man were they happy as ever to see me in the flesh.
"That was awesome!" Mikaela exclaims.
"Look at you Em!" Maria exclaims.
"Yeah seriously, that was amazing! You're still on your A-game from the looks of it." Daniella remarks.
"You know me Daniella. I'm always practicing, and I'm always staying on top of things. I always stay on my A-game." I remarked.
"Which is what we always expect out of you Em. A-Game all day, every day." Mikaela states.
"So I gotta ask since I'm sure the rest of us are thinking the same thing. What are you doing back here?" Maria asks.
"I have to be here to sell the house off, and then I'm heading back to Utah, where I'll hopefully be for a long time to come." I replied.
"Why the hell are you choosing to live in Utah, and not in like, I don't know, Nashville or something…?" Daniella asks.
"Wait, where in Utah are you going…?" Maria asks, cautiously, almost like she knew where the conversation was going.
"Salt Lake City." I replied.
"Which is where the High School Musical movies were shot…" Mikaela states.
"And she's told us about her friend that goes to East High…" Maria adds.
"Hold on, are you gonna be attending East High?" Daniella asks in shock and amazement.
"Yes." I replied.
"Ok, that is seriously cool!" Mikaela exclaims.
"That'll surely help drive the pain away." Daniella remarks.
"For sure." I stated.
"This'll truly be the start of something new for you. " Maria remarks.
"That's the idea." I said in response.
"Just, Emma…" Mikaela starts to say, before stopping.
If I had to pick anyone out of my bandmates and say that this person is my best friend, Mikaela is definitely it. She has been so helpful when it has come to teaching me everything I needed to know in the performance space. I could only imagine how much harder it was for her to let me go, than it was for me to let her go.
"Always remain true to yourself, no matter where in the world you might be." Mikaela says, almost looking away, so I wouldn't see the tears building in her eyes.
"Always Mikaela, always." I reassured her.
Knowing this was about to be it, we all engaged in a group hug. For the rest of them, they were losing a bandmate and good friend, but for me, I was losing the chance to be in-person with a group of bandmates and good friends, but also, it was time for me to start something brand-new. I knew I had to do this, but that didn't make it any less difficult for me, and just like that, I sold the house, I packed up my things, and off I went to Salt Lake City, Utah. Sure, it was a taxing 2-day drive (29 hours in total, but with very minimum stops was taxing), but eventually, I made it. I then parked my car outside of Nini's driveway, and I went up to the door and rang the doorbell. Now, Nini didn't even know I was going to be here this soon, so this was going to be a surprise for her, and sure enough it was, as she opened the door and was as surprised as ever.
"You're here?" Nini asks in amazement.
"Somehow, someway, yeah." I replied.
We then hug. Finally, we'll be living together, and I'm going to get the nice, new, and fresh start that I need.
"Tomorrow we're going back to work on the musical. You wanna come?" Nini asks.
"I would be welcomed in on that?" I asked in return.
"Of course Emma! I'll even introduce you to everybody if you want. Now that you're here and you're willing, I'm sure, to get involved, you'll want to get to know everybody." Nini replies, with a great deal of excitement.
"Yeah. I guess that's just part of trying to be a theatre kid I suppose…" I said, almost struggling to get the last words of my sentence out.
"Em, is there something wrong?" Nini asks, concerningly.
At that very moment, Nini didn't know this. In fact, no one outside of my family at that very moment didn't know this. Here goes nothing, I guess. I have autism, and one of the things that has been an effect of that is my unwillingness to talk with other kids, and as a result I have had great difficulty making friends, and yeah, it's been a whole cycle for so many years. I was grateful enough to get the friends that I got at the Atlanta community theatre group, but now, I would have to start over with a new group of theatre kids that I didn't know yet. I don't know how I'm going to explain all of this to Nini, but as long as I say just the truth and nothing but the truth, everything will be alright…
"I have autism." I stated, bluntly.
"You do?" Nini asks.
"Yeah, I do. I'm proud of it in a way, but sometimes it feels like it affects me in negative ways." I replied.
"Then Em, I won't force you to do something you're not comfortable doing. However, I have an idea." Nini says.
"I'm listening." I stated, curiously, interested to hear what Nini had to say.
"If you find the courage and you're up for it, you can still meet everyone tomorrow, but I think today, there's someone that you should totally meet." Nini says.
"Is that so?" I asked, almost sarcastically.
"Of course! She's someone who understands the outsider's perspective on things, like you're probably feeling right now." Nini replies.
"Understatement of the century…" I remarked.
"Well there you go then. She'll be able to understand you in a way that, perhaps, some of us, even me, can't." Nini states.
"Perhaps. Now, where do I go to meet her?" I asked.
I didn't know what to expect when meeting this person. Her name was Gina Porter. From what Nini told me, she's a transfer student, having moved around a ton over the years. She's never been able to stay in the same place for that long, which makes me think that she hasn't really had a chance to build a solid community for herself, and that maybe, just maybe, I will be able to help her with that, but first things first. I have to actually meet her, and see if she could be the kind of person that I needed in my life. I ring the doorbell, with Gina opening the door. Let's hope this goes the way I hope it will…
"Hey. Emma Wood, right?" Gina asks.
"Yeah." I replied.
"Gina Porter. Nice to meet you." Gina states.
"Nice to meet you too. Nini said you had an outsider's perspective, which very might be of help to me." I remarked.
"Understatement of t-" Gina starts to say, before I quickly cut her off.
"Of the century." I said.
"How did you know I was going to say that?" Gina asks in amazement.
"I said the same phrase to Nini. When she said that she assumed that I was feeling like an outsider and all that with this move to East High, that's what I said in response." I replied.
"I guess we're more alike than I thought we would be." Gina remarks.
"I guess so." I said in response.
"I hear that you're a singer and dancer." Gina says.
"I consider myself as such, though how good I am in those areas is another story entirely…" I stated, not really wanting to build myself up, since I didn't know if I could talk the talk.
"I think your YouTube and Instagram song covers tell me all I need to do about your exceptional talent." Gina remarks, confidently.
"Nini told you about those, didn't she?" I asked, not even surprised that Nini would go that far for me.
"Yeah she did. The two of us may have our own issues with each other that we need to sort out, but we both were able to agree on the fact that we needed to collectively help you right now, and she showed your pages to me in order to help us achieve that goal." Gina replies.
"Sounds just like something Nini would do for me." I remarked.
"She's always looking out for you." Gina suggests.
"Clearly." I said in response.
"Anyway, here's some free advice about the whole outsider thing. I thought I would need to try and fit in with everyone else, but then I learned that I don't need to learn how to fit in with everyone else. I just need to be myself, and as long as I do that, there's nothing that you can't do." Gina states.
"So when I come tomorrow to the musical work or whatever it's called, just be myself around everyone else?" I asked.
"Absolutely. When you meet new people, always be yourself." Gina states again.
"Well it's a good thing I'm not afraid to do just that. I just hope it'll all go well, and then maybe, just maybe, there will be some form of role that I can get in the show. I know I can't get any named roles but anything at this point would be a dream come true." I remarked.
"Because at the end of the day, you're still in High School Musical, The Musical…" Gina states.
"True that." I remarked.
"Now, let's see if I can help a little bit in the dancing and singing departments, as talented as you are already." Gina says.
"Wait really?" I asked in amazement.
"Absolutely! After all, the outsiders have to stick together, right?" Gina asks.
"I suppose so." I replied.
"Well then, let's get started." Gina says.
And yeah, that's how that happened. Nini really went out of her way to introduce me to someone who would not only be interested in similar areas to me, but she indirectly introduced me to someone who understands my outsider state of mind right now, which I was truly grateful for. With that, it was now the next day. For now, I had an air mattress on the other side of Nini's room. For what it's worth, it did its job. I was up earlier than Nini, in large part because I was nervous, and Nini could see it as she got up about 10 minutes after I did, and here I am, dressed in a short black dress, my hair tied back into a slick back ponytail, sitting on my air mattress, thinking about what is to come, and as I said, Nini could tell that I was nervous, and she did everything that she could to help.
"Hey." Nini says.
"Hey." I said in return.
"You gonna be alright?" Nini asks, concerningly.
"I'll be fine. It's just, new environment, new people, new start… I know I said I wanted it, but now that it's finally here…" I started to say, before struggling to find the words to finish my thought.
"You're not sure if you can handle it?" Nini asks.
"Exactly…" I replied.
"Don't be nervous Em. You got this. You'll have this in the bag. You get through the day, you join us for the musical prep later this afternoon, we'll find some sort of role for you to have in the show, and it'll be all well and good." Nini reassures me.
"You mean it?" I asked.
"Of course I mean it! Who do you think I am?" Nini asks, almost sarcastically.
"Ya know what, fair enough." I remarked.
"I'm going to go get ready, we're going to go school, and we're gonna make sure you have an awesome day." Nini says, excitedly.
"Sounds good Nini, sounds good." I stated.
We arrived at the school. Nini then went off to start her day, and here I was, on my own. To me, it seemed like, what was probably, another typical day at East High, at least for the most part. There was a large crowd of students going through the halls of East High, and then, there's me, entering the office of the Principal. Now I know what you're thinking, and no, I did not get in trouble the second I got there, but rather, I had asked, prior to my first day, to greet the principal of my new high school, and to perhaps see how he might be able to help me fly in this new environment. I then walked into the main part of his office, and upon seeing me, the Principal got up and shared a handshake with me.
"Ms. Emma Wood, is it?" Principal Gutierrez asks.
"Yes." I replied.
"Welcome to East High Ms. Wood. I hope that you will find our school to be one where you can thrive, given the most impressive transcripts that I have received from you. You have a great future here." Principal Gutierrez remarks.
"As Gabriella Montez said in the first HSM movie Principal, "I don't want to be the freaky math girl again", thank you." I stated.
"Well, luckily for you, you won't have to be "the freaky math girl" again. Judging by the interests and extra activities you listed on your transcripts and student resume, I'm sure you'll find something you'll love here. At your request, I did ask Ms. Porter this morning to take time and join you when you were finished with me. After what you told me about your parents, I felt it to be a privilege to help the newest student of East High." Principal Gutierrez says.
"Thank You." I said in response.
As I shook hands with Principal Gutierrez and left, standing outside the door was the very person that I was asking for.
"Hey." Gina says.
"Hey. Thanks for doing this." I said.
"Of course. Happy to help you. Now let's get you going academically, and then, we can get you fitting right into the musical." Gina says, excitedly.
"Let's do it." I said back, with my own level of excitement.
I, somehow, made it through the day. Sure, in part it was because of Gina's willingness to help, but I feel like I was really able to stand out and, as she said for me to do, be myself. The rest, eventually, came naturally to me. Now, it was time for the musical prep. It was about five minutes before it was going to start. Me and Gina took our seats. Gina was to my right, and Nini, by some miracle of seating arrangements for that particular day, was sitting to my left, with Ricky Bowen sitting on her left. Nini then leaned over to talk to me.
"Hey. You've been having a good day?" Nini asks.
"Yeah." I replied.
"Good. How was the help I got for you yesterday?" Nini asks.
"You couldn't have paired me with anyone better." I stated.
"She's been the best to work with. A good listener, and is always willing to learn and listen to what others have to say." Gina remarks.
"Well good. Now, let's see what we can get for you today." Nini says.
"We'll see what happens there." I remarked.
The day's activities shortly thereafter were started by the Drama Club teacher, Miss Jenn. She seemed friendly and kind, which was good, especially when I wanted a role in this show. Luckily, however, I did not have to wait long, as shortly after things got started, I was, at least to me, unexpectedly introduced to the entire Drama Club, by none other than Miss Jenn herself.
"Alright Wildcats, listen up. I was told we have a new student joining our fold today. An extra set of hands and another talented student on hand, even this late in the game, will be of help to us. Everyone [she then points my way], this is Emma Wood."
I then stood up and waved hello to everyone, and I got a little bit of clapping from, what were now, my fellow theatre kids, which felt great.
"Emma, I've been told about your incredible talents, particularly in the singing department." Miss Jenn remarks.
"Oh I don't know about that…" I stated.
"If you're comfortable, do you want to show your new family what you're made of?" Miss Jenn asks.
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything…" I said.
"Perfect! Any song you want, just let it out, and breathe. [To the rest of the group] Everyone, let's sit down, relax, and listen to talent displaying itself for the first time." Miss Jenn says to the group.
I then did as Miss Jenn said to do. I took a deep breath, and I just let out the lyrics to the first song that I could think of off the top of my head.
"Me (singing): Livin' in my own world / Didn't understand / That anything can happen / When you take a chance / I never believed in / What I couldn't see / I never opened my heart, oh / To all the possibilities, ooh-ooh / I know that somethin' has changed / Never felt this way / And right here, tonight"
"Me (singing): This could be the start of somethin' new / It feels so right to be here with you, oh / And now, lookin' in your eyes / I feel in my heart (Feel in my heart) / The start of somethin' new (Oh, yeah)"
"Me (singing): Yeah it's the start of somethin' new / It feels so right (So right) to be here with you, oh / And now, lookin' in your eyes (Lookin' in your eyes) / I feel in my heart (Feel in my heart) / The start of somethin' new (The start of somethin' new) / The start of somethin' new"
I closed my eyes, took another deep breath, and I opened my eyes to clapping, from everyone, which I couldn't even believe. I guess I was a lot more talented than I thought I was. Unknowingly to me, Carlos and Miss Jenn then begin whispering back and forth to each other, as they were both impressed and amazed by my performance, and they knew that they had to get me involved, one way or another.
"She may be new to East High, but she is not new to singing. That was pure gold." Carlos Rodriguez states to Miss Jenn.
"I know, that was amazing." Miss Jenn remarks.
"Now we have to decide what we can do to not let this raw talent go to waste…" Carlos says.
"Put her on the list for the background singers for Stick to the Status Quo & Get'cha Head In the Game, and for the whole show in general. Give her the application form as well. She has so much potential." Miss Jenn suggests.
"Maybe we can even get her in as an extra assistant. She seems so talented and knowledgeable." Carlos remarks.
"That would be good compensation for not getting a main role, right?" Miss Jenn asks.
"I would hope so." Carlos replies.
As their conversation was going on, I was having an unexpected conversation of my own, with the other members of the Drama Club.
"That was amazing!" Ricky Bowen exclaims.
"I couldn't agree more." Gina adds.
"Remind me why we haven't had you since the start of the production…" Ashlyn Moon states.
"Aw, you guys…" Was all I could say to all the praise I was getting.
"That was so amazing Em. You've grown so much since we first met." Nini says, proudly.
"It certainly has been a long road since we first met." I remarked.
"So, the two of you were childhood friends from what I remember, right?" Ricky asks.
"That's one way to put it." I replied.
"We've known each other for years." Nini remarks.
"Well no wonder you're so good Emma. Just look at who your bestie is." Gina states.
"Yeah, but I've been able to stand on my own, having done my own singing practice with a community theater and local girlband back in Atlanta, and I hope to forge similar bonds here with all of you." I remarked.
"Well you have me interested." Ricky says.
"Me too." Gina says.
"I'm interested as well." Ashlyn says.
Carlos then approached me, and handed me a piece of paper.
"What's this for?" I asked.
"Fill this out, and you have yourself a background slot in High School Musical: The Musical." Carlos replies.
Before I could even get the chance to be surprised, in shock, and just about everything in between, Miss Jenn then approaches me and Carlos.
"In addition, since I can't get you on the main cast at this point, I would like to offer you the opportunity to join me and Carlos, as another assistant for the production." Miss Jenn says.
"Are you being serious?" I asked in shock and amazement.
Completely ignoring my question, Miss Jenn goes on to explain to me what my specific role would be as an assistant.
"You will be able to work alongside Carlos, as the two of you will continue to work on the choreography, and on top of that, I would like to put you in charge of being a vocal coach of sorts, and helping to make sure that everyone's voices stay intact, and make sure that you work with anyone who may be struggling." Miss Jenn says.
A tear of happiness then began streaming down my cheek, as Nini was standing not too far away from me, beaming with pride. I then turned to Nini, with a big smile on my face.
"I think I'll be just fine here." I said to her.
"I think you will be Em." Nini says.
Gina then stepped towards me.
"Hey, school's almost over for the day. You want to come home with me? Maybe I can really get to know you. That should be fun, right?" She asks me.
"Really?" I asked.
"Of course." Gina replies.
"Best day of my life." I stated.
And with that, I finished my academic day, and spent the rest of my regular day with the first of, what I hope to be, many new friends.