Chapter 3

I found myself in a place I had never imagined I would be a part of: the Shellwood Pack Teenagers gathering. Despite my humble background, I couldn’t believe I had been invited to participate.

Throughout my life, I have never had a chance to learn about my heritage. I was always told that my mother was a member of the Shellwood Pack and that she had married my father, a commoner. She was sometimes considered an outcast because her mother had been one.

Now, I walked into a room filled with teenagers who were entirely different from me. They chatted loudly, laughed heartily, and exchanged stories about their lives.

“Wow, Zoe! Look at you!” someone called out to me from the back of the room. It was one of the boys.

“What is a filth like you doing in our special gathering?” he taunted.

I met his gaze but chose to remain composed, not wanting to create a scene. Instead, I offered a soft smile and replied, “It’s nice to meet you.”

He looked away, choosing not to engage further.

I listened to their conversations, which ranged from discussions about the Shellwood Pack’s precarious situation to suggestions that we should focus on making money and ignore the pack’s problems. It occurred to me that this gathering might be an opportunity for us teenagers to shape the pack’s future.

When the meeting concluded, we all returned home. I decided to call my father to let him know I was back. However, upon arriving home, I discovered that my family was absent.

I searched the house and eventually found a note addressed to me:

“We have gone out for the day. We’ll be back later tonight. Take care of yourself. Love, Mom and Dad.”

The note reassured me that they were not elsewhere and that they were safe.

I spent the rest of the day contemplating the events at the gathering. Although I had never been to such a place before, I felt a strong desire to remain connected to it. Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but wonder if I truly belonged among these teenagers.

As I thought about going to take a nap, a knock on the front door interrupted my thoughts.

“Who is it?” I asked.

There was no response, so I opened the door to see a girl I had met earlier in the day. She wore a kind smile.

“May I come in?” she asked.

“Of course,” I replied, inviting her into my house.

“Do you live alone?” she asked.

“No,” I answered.

“That’s good,” she remarked before sitting on the sofa.

“My name is Maria,” she introduced herself before I had the chance to ask.

“Nice to meet you, Maria,” I responded. “And I’m Zoe, but I guess you know.”

“Yeah, I know you.” Maria placed her hand atop mine and said, “I want us to be friends.”

I stared at her hand for a moment. “Friends?” I echoed.

“Yes. We’re going to be friends. Okay?” she affirmed.

I nodded in agreement. “Okay. I don’t mind,” I replied.

“Good. I’m glad.”

Maria waited a few moments before speaking again. “I saw what that boy did to you today when he called you a filth. I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”

“My family is sometimes seen as outcasts because of my mother’s background, so it’s fine, Maria,” I shared. “I’m just grateful that some people in this pack are starting to acknowledge my family’s existence.”

“I know your family doesn’t receive much respect in this pack,” Maria sympathized. “I also know that they’ve made sacrifices for our pack.”

“Thank you,” I expressed my gratitude.

Maria smiled warmly at me before gesturing toward the window behind her. “I want to show you something,” Maria said.

I followed her gesture to look out the window, where I spotted a small garden. “What’s that?” I asked.

“A flower garden,” Maria replied.

“Oh!” I exclaimed.

“The flowers here are very beautiful, don’t you think? They bloom all year round. This place is truly amazing, isn’t it?” Maria asked.

I gazed at the flowers and nodded. “Yes, it is.”

“I wonder why these flowers don’t bloom elsewhere in the pack. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone planting them anywhere else,” Maria pondered.

“Well, I don’t know either,” I admitted.

Maria fell silent for a moment and took a deep breath before continuing. “If you ever need anything, you know what to do, right?” Maria asked.

“I do,” I confirmed.

“Just let me know if you ever need help,” Maria offered. She then walked past me and left the house.

I watched her exit and closed the door. Sitting back on the sofa, I turned to look at the window again. The garden was indeed beautiful, and I wondered if I could ask my mother to teach me how to create such gardens. She had a talent for nurturing and caring for living things, and I knew she would be the perfect teacher.

After Maria had left, I lay down in my bed, contemplating her kind-heartedness. Although I didn’t know her well, she had shown great compassion.

***

I eagerly awaited Maria’s arrival. Before her visit, I decided to take a bath, get dressed, and head downstairs.

In the kitchen, my mother noticed me and asked, “Hey, honey. Are you bored?”

“Not really,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

“Why don’t you go play outside?” she suggested. I guess she wanted me to give her some time alone.

I agreed and ventured outdoors, brainstorming ways to pass the time until Maria’s arrival. Recalling the garden with a pond filled with fish, I decided to feed them and watch them swim.

I approached the pond, feeling excited. The fish swam near the surface.

“Hello!” I greeted the fish enthusiastically.

Just as I was about to feed the fish, I heard approaching footsteps. I turned to see Maria walking toward me.

“I’m glad you’re here!” I exclaimed.

“Me too!” Maria replied. “I’m happy you’re excited about something.”

“We can play together!” I suggested. “In fact,” I continued, “I’ve been wanting to try feeding those fish for a long time.”

“Really?” Maria asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

“I’ll join you, then.”

“Okay!”

We started throwing the bread crumbles into the pond, watching the fish catch them. The fish swam energetically, captivating us both.

“Wow! How fascinating!” Maria exclaimed.

“Come and see this,” I invited.

Maria joined me, watching the fish swim with keen interest. At that moment, my loneliness seemed to dissipate, replaced by the joy of spending time with such a kind and beautiful friend.

“Are you having fun?” I asked.

“It’s really amazing!” Maria responded.

We continued to watch the fish swim, enthralled by their graceful movements.

After a while, Maria asked, “Do you want to have lunch now?”

“Yes!” I eagerly agreed.

“Good idea!” Maria said.

We returned to the kitchen, ate our meal, and shared more about ourselves. Maria discussed her favorite school subjects and pastimes during her free time.

“What about you, Zoe?” Maria asked.

“Well,” I began, “I love reading books, writing letters, and playing games.”

“Me too!” Maria exclaimed.

I smiled, realizing that we shared many interests. After finishing our meal, we washed the dishes and returned to the living room.

Seated on the floor, we opened a book that featured illustrations of various fish types and their characteristics. I began reading from the book, describing different fish and their habitats.

“I wish there was a picture of a sea snake,” I commented.

“Me too,” Maria said, “I think we can try to draw it.”

“Do you draw?” I asked.

“Sometimes,” Maria admitted. “I haven’t drawn anything in a while, though.”

“You should give it a try!” I encouraged. “I’d be happy to help!”

“Thank you!” Maria replied. “I’ll definitely consider making some drawings in the future.”

“It would be great if I could come over to your house to help you with your artwork,” I proposed.

Maria hesitated briefly, then suddenly stood as if possessed by an unfamiliar spirit.

“I’m sorry, Zoe,” she began, “I came here to tell you that my parents don’t approve of our friendship because of your background. I got carried away because of your fish stuff, but this is the last time we’re going to have such a good time. Goodbye, Zoe!”