Moving Change

Moving Change doesn’t have to be scary. It can even be fun because you get to keep your old friends and make new ones

Shelly stood by the car with her little backpack. She had been crying all night. Her best friend was staying here, but she was moving all the way across town! Soon they would never see each other again.

Shelly’s mom told her not to be so dramatic. She promised she would still see Angie, but Shelly just wasn’t sure. What if they didn’t? She was going to lose her best friend.

The car ride to the new house seemed to take forever. Shelly watched out the window the whole way. It was almost an hour to their new neighborhood, and when they got there, they had to unpack. Shelly wondered if her new room would have space for her stuffed animals.

At the new house, Shelly and her mom went up to her new bedroom. It was pretty nice. There was more space, and the windowsill was very big. Shelly could sit up there with her stuffed puppy and see most of the street!

Deciding to do just that, Shelly climbed up and watched the men unload the truck. Her mom went back downstairs to make sure everything went to the right room. Shelly  saw cars go by, and a boy on a bike, and even the school bus. Shelly wouldn’t have to start school until the fall.

Soon, Shelly noticed something funny. There was a little girl in the window across the street, just like her! She was even wearing a pink shirt. Shelly waved, and the girl waved back. Hopping down, Shelly decided to go say hi.

She walked across the street to the other house, watching carefully both ways for cars. When she got there, the little girl wasn’t in the window anymore. She was coming out of the front door.

“Hi, I’m Laney,” the girl said. Her dark braids stuck out everywhere from her head around Laney’s smile.

“I’m Shelly,” she replied.

“Do you live here now?” The girl asked.

Shelly nodded. She was startled when the girl let out a loud “Woohoo!”

“I’ve been the only girl on the street forever! We’re going to be best friends, I know it!” Laney said, jumping up and down.

“But I have a best friend,” Shelly replied. “Her name is Angie. But she lives in my old neighborhood.”

“That’s ok!” Laney replied, still smiling. “We will all three be friends. Then nobody is left out. You can always have more friends.”

This was true! Shelly started to smile a little herself for the first time that day. Maybe moving wouldn’t be so bad with Laney here. She sure was excited!

Later that evening, Shelly got a great surprise. Angie’s mom showed up with Angie and a box of pizza. They invited Laney over, and soon all three girls were having a great time in Shelly’s new room.

They put her stuffed animals all over, and played Guess Who, which was a lot more fun with three people instead of two. They finally fell asleep watching a movie before Angie and Laney went home.

As she waved goodbye, she promised she would see them both again soon. Maybe moving wouldn’t be so bad- she wasn’t going to have one best friend anymore, she was going to have two.