Ordinary World Soap Opera
An Online Soap Opera

Episode 782: The One

“I'm just going over there,” Tansy announced, pointing to the ladies' room up the beach, near the concession stand.

“Okay,” her dad said, “come right back, and use your judgment about talking to anybody.”

“I will,” the ten year old easily agreed. While she used to chat with pretty much everyone she met, that was no longer an issue her parents had to worry about, lately she hardly talked to anyone, it just seemed easier not to get her hopes up like that, and start thinking that maybe they'd like her enough to be her friend.

She did still talk to one person though, not as much as she used to, but she was certain he'd help her, so she walked a little ways past the ladies' room to use one of the only pay phones left in the universe. Her lack of cell phone might have bothered her if she didn't have way bigger stuff going on.

He sounded surprised to hear her voice on the phone, though happy about it, which was nice. “How's it going at the beach?” He asked. “Are you having fun?”

“Everyone else is.” Her mom and Aunt were in bestie mode. Her dad and Uncle were high-fiving over some common interest. Even her little brother, who was barely more than a baby had spent time digging in the sand alongside another little boy. It was practically like her lousy days at school, minus the teasing and name-calling. Everyone around her had friends, and she'd much rather be in her room than have to watch them have fun together, while she had no one.

Well, she did have someone, she was sure she could count on him. It might seem like one more weird thing about her, having her only friend be a grown-up, but it wasn't weird, he was like a way older brother, who understood, he was an outcast, too.

“Can you come get me?” She asked.

He went quiet for way too long. “You're on a family trip,” he finally said, “I can't take you away from that. Sorry, you're going to have to stick it out. Your family's not that bad, Tans. We'll go get ice cream or something the minute you get home, I promise, and you can complain to your heart's content about all the annoying stuff on your trip or tell me about anything else on your mind. You can tell me right now, if you want, maybe it's easier over the phone.”

Tansy didn't really listen to his offer to hear her out. She was too busy stewing over the just stick it out thing, the same lousy advice everyone had given her about school. She'd expected him to be more helpful. “I guess you're not really my friend either,” she snapped at him, and made it even worse by hanging up. Regret hit Tansy immediately, wishing she hadn't said that, wishing she hadn't gone and insulted the one friend she had.

Episode 783: Good Feeling

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