When a New Student Pushes Everyone Away | Glimmerwood Middle School – Episode 1

Some children make it easy to see when they need a little extra kindness. Others may push it away before anyone has the chance to offer it.

In this episode, Lyrion meets Rory, a new student whose sharp words and unfriendly manner quickly leave an impression. While the other students begin deciding what they think of him, Lyrion notices something else: Rory may be difficult to understand, but perhaps there is more to understand.

As you read together, this can be a gentle opportunity to talk with your child about first impressions, boundaries, and the difference between understanding someone's behavior and excusing it. Rory isn't always kind, and Lyrion doesn't pretend that he is. Instead, he leaves room for a possibility children sometimes need help discovering—that what we see on the outside may not tell us everything happening on the inside.

You might ask your child what they think of Rory so far, why they think Lyrion keeps trying, or what they would have done after Rory refused their help. There doesn't have to be a right answer. For now, Rory's story is only beginning.

Sometimes, the best way to understand someone is simply to stay curious long enough to learn the rest of their story.

 

It was a typical day at Glimmerwood Middle School. All the fairies and elves rushed through the corridor of the large ancient tree to their classrooms, trying not to trip over the occasional tree root. Lyrion took a seat on his stump and unpacked his books. He noticed someone new. The stranger was sitting in the back near a window looking outside. Zilphia flew in just before the eagle squawked and sat on the stump next to him. She smiled and turned to see what he was looking at. Lyrion smiled at her and glanced back again. The new student was still looking out the window. Lyrion wondered who he was and where he came from.

“Good morning, class!” said Ms. Hedgehog. “Today we will discuss two basic principles about acids and bases. Please open your books to page forty-one.”

The class moaned softly with very little enthusiasm. An elf in the front row folded his arms and laid his head down. A fairy began looking in a mirror while brushing her hair. And a cyclops used his bookbag to do arm curls.

Lyrion looked back at the new student. He didn’t open his book. Then Lyrion realized he didn’t have any. He just sat there looking out the window as though he were wishing he was somewhere else.

The eagle squawked again at the end of class, and the students gathered their things to rush out the door. It was time for lunch, and they each wanted to get the best spot. Lyrion walked over to the new student to introduce himself.

“Hi, I’m Lyrion. You’re new here, right?”

“What makes you think that?” answered the student rather rudely.

“I’ve never seen you before.”

“I guess you’ve seen everyone in the village? Who are you, the mayor or something?”

“No… but I know a new face when I see one.”

The owlbear dragon turned back to look out the window. “What’s it to you?”

“Nothing really. I just noticed you seem a bit distracted, as though you weren’t really here.”

The new student gave Lyrion a sly glance and began to walk past him.

“What’s your name?”

“Not that it’s really any of your business, but it’s Rory.”

Lyrion hesitated for a moment, but decided to ask anyway. “I’m going to lunch. Would you like to join me and my friends?”

Rory looked at Lyrion suspiciously. He walked towards the door and said, “I’m busy,” without looking back.

Lyrion hurried to the field behind the ancient tree. Zilphia and a couple of other fairies and elves were waiting for him.

“What took you so long?” asked Zilphia.

“I was talking to Rory.”

“Who’s Rory?” asked one of the elves.

“He’s the new owlbear dragon that was sitting in the back of class near the window.”

“Oh yeah, I saw him. I said hello, but he just blew me off.”

“He doesn’t seem very nice,” whispered one of the little fairies. She looked over her shoulder to make sure no one else heard her.

“I don’t know,” said Lyrion. “There’s something about him.”

“There is something about him,” said another fairy. “He’s very rude. I saw him this morning getting his class schedule. I offered to show him where to pick up his books. Do you know what he said to me?”

“What?” they asked.

“He said he didn’t ask for my help. Can you believe that?” The little fairy rolled her eyes and placed a mushroom in her mouth. “I won’t offer to help him again.”

Rory walked onto the field carrying an armful of books. He didn’t have a satchel. Lyrion watched him struggle to balance them and walked over to help.

“I see you found the office to get your books.”

“What makes you think I had to find it?”

“You didn’t have your books this morning, and now you do.”

“I told you I was busy. I just didn’t have time. Why do you keep bothering me? Is there something you want?”

Several of the books wobbled and fell to the ground as Rory tried to place them on top of a log.

“Now look what you made me do!” Rory's voice rose into a high-pitched whistle. “Leave me alone!”

Lyrion was shocked and stepped back. He had never seen anyone act that way before, especially someone he was trying to help.

“I have an extra satchel in my locker. You’re welcome to use it.”

Rory looked at Lyrion disdainfully. “I don’t need your help,” he scoffed as he placed the books on the log.

When Lyrion sat down with his friends, they asked him what happened. He didn’t say anything at first, unsure if he wanted to add fuel to the fire. His friends had already made up their minds about Rory, and in some ways they were right. He was brash and very condescending. But Lyrion couldn’t help thinking he still wanted to be his friend. He just didn’t know how.

During the next class, Rory sat at the back of the room again, still gazing out the window. Ms. Hedgehog covered algebra which the class felt was just as boring as science. Everyone pretended to pay attention… everyone except Rory. His book was open, but his mind was clearly somewhere else.

When the eagle squawked, they all rushed to go home. Rory reached down to pick up his books. He seemed frustrated as he struggled with them again. Under the last book was a folded satchel. He looked up at Lyrion, who was watching him from the doorway. Lyrion smiled and nodded his head as he walked out.

Rory sat there for a moment looking at the satchel. He lowered his head into his hands and softly chirped to himself, “Kuk-kuk-kuk.” He slowly placed the books in the satchel one by one, looking around the empty room. Everyone was gone. He stood and slowly walked towards the door with his head held low, wondering what tomorrow would bring.

 

Thank you for visiting Glimmerwood Middle School, one of the many magical places within the Starlight Realm, where every adventure helps courage, kindness, and imagination grow.

Discover what awaits our tenacious students in next week’s adventure.

 — Written with care by W. L. Shaw, creator of Fanciful Tales