Friend-Zoned (Friend-Zoned 1)

She leans closer to me and drops a bomb. “Even get a tattoo?”

Oh, Poop! How did this happen??!

I sputter, “Uh, yes, I suppose…”

Ceecee becomes so excited she almost yells, “That’s so cool! I want one just like daddy and uncle Nik’s. That way everyone will know we’re family. ”

“…with your father’s permission, of course. ”

But Ceecee doesn’t hear me, she’s too far gone in her mind getting all sorts of crazy ideas that people frown upon.

After our facials, manicures, and pedicures Tanya brings us a lunch of sandwiches and fruit salad. Ceecee eats half a sandwich and some fruit. When I coax her to eat more she gives me some information I never knew. She tells me, “Daddy said people in wheelchairs don’t eat much. They don’t have to eat as much as regular people. ”

Sorrow painfully shoots through my chest. I don’t like what she just said.

I respond, “Honey, you are regular people. You’ve just got a sweet ride, that’s all. ”

She smiles a sad smile, “It’s okay, Tina. I know I’m different. It’s why I don’t make any friends and change schools a lot. ”

My face drops. I cautiously ask, “How many times have you changed schools, angel?”

She toys with a piece of cantaloupe on her plate, avoiding my gaze and replies, “Four times in three years. ”

That. Is. Huge. No child should be changing schools that much.

“Can I ask why, honey?” I ask carefully.

Still avoiding my eyes, she explains in a small voice, “People make fun of me. They call me weird. They say I’m a freak. ” My heart is actually breaking. I can feel it split in two. Her blank eyes focus on my legs and she continues quietly, “I never make any friends. I don’t know why. ” She finishes with a small shrug and is so quiet I can barely hear her.

This is so upsetting to me.

I can’t even imagine how this little angel feels. Bullying is a huge issue nationwide. The unfortunate truth is kids can be cruel. They don’t realize what they’re actually doing to a person when they poke fun at them.

I clear my throat to clear any thickness and steady my voice. “Well, that’s going to change. You’re a princess. Princesses don’t let people make fun of them. They stick up for themselves. And I’ll tell you how. Whenever someone says something ugly to you, lift your hand, smile and wave at them. That way, it’s them who look silly. Not you. ”

Her face is still lowered but I see a small smile twitch her lips. I take it as good sign and continue “And making friends isn’t that hard, honey. A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet. All it takes is for someone to make the first move. So here’s what I want you to do. Next time you see someone who looks nice, just go on up to them and say Hi. The rest will come easy after that. You don’t have anything to lose. ”

I mentally cross my fingers and wait.

After a long silence, Ceecee looks up at me and smiles, “Okay, Tina. ”

Really? That easy?! No freakin’ way!

I make a mental note to do cartwheels outside of the salon.

I smile back at her.

Yay! Today was a good idea.

***

We’re all in the ‘chill out’ room brainstorming when the elevator dings followed by the familiar sounds of two ladies talking and laughing.

They’re back.

I smile to myself. What Tina pulled this morning was so unexpected. I know Max

was grateful for it, though. Ceecee gets so bored here on Saturdays. It’s the one day a week that mom or our sisters can’t take her. As soon as we got back into the conference room, Max looks right at me and says, “If you don’t wife that girl, one of us will. ”