4th Day Narrative

A Day In 4th Grade
It was 4th grade at Collins Elementary as I walked down the hall that morning. Outside, the sky was clear and there were puffs of white clouds floating all around, the sun was shining as bright as it could, and I thought today would be a good day. I made my way to my usual spot on the floor, underneath the huge window near the third grade bathrooms, a few floor tiles away from the big trash can. I was sliding down the wall to sit when they surrounded me. What they want coming up to me like that? They all towered over me with their arms crossed over their chest, and smirks painted on all their faces, and among them was Nadia. Their leader stood off to the side watching.
A follower spoke out and said sweetly, “we got to
ask you something.” I shrugged my shoulders and looked at her. “What?” I asked. Nadia spoke up, “I saw what you did to Sha’Rika.” I stared up at Nadia, her face matched those of the followers, and her stance was also the same. I remember she wore blue jeans and a white shirt, same as I did; we planned a lot of stuff together… When she wasn’t with the others. She was different when she was with them, she laughed louder and pointed at people. I’d begun to stand as I answered her. “What in the world is you talking about what I did to her, I ain’t do nothing to her.” And I didn’t. I’d speak to her only when she spoke to me and I hardly spoke to her even then. The sound of tongues sucking teeth filled the air. “Yes you did,” another follower declared.
Nadia spoke up again. “The other day I seen you roll your eyes at Sha’Rika.”
The follower next to her opened her mouth when Nadia finished. “And since you did,” she said with her fisted hand positioned on her left hip, “Nadia want to fight you.” When she finished she turned around to look at Sha’Rika in the back of the circle of followers. I said nothing as they all stood around me with folded arms and twisted faces. The Leader still stood alone to side watching to see what I would say, what I would do. They all watched me as I just stayed planted right where I was not saying anything, just looking at them, just wondering why.
After a minute or so, the same follower, with hands pulled into a questioning stance, asked me. “So you wanna fight?”
I took another look around me, shrugged my shoulders, nodded yes, and followed them down the hall with walls littered with third grade art projects and into the fourth grade girl’s bathroom.
Nadia and I were “best friends” since second grade. Sure I had friends who treated me better, but I wanted to be a part of the masses. I wanted to fit in. After the fight, I stilled remained acquainted with her, but I was very different. I never wanted anyone to hurt me the way she did so I became the Leader. I brought myself out of my betrayal through bitterness, and I became a lost soul. I became so strong, that I was weak and didn’t even know it. Until I heard God calling me by name.
As I think of the incident now it brings me to a verse, Romans 8: 28- 29“We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son.” This means that God wanted me from the beginning. He planned that part of my life that certain way so that it would put me right where I needed to be. I couldn’t be with them because I would have become like them. I had to become like Him. I’m fulfilling that purpose to become like Jesus Christ now and I not alone. God is with me, and he supplies every one of my needs. I realize now that he has my back, and he always
has.