The Picnic: By Teni Grant

The day I arrived to the new house, I had a picnic with Logan. We had food from Georgia's, but humans can't have plastic food so Sydney picked up Panera Bread. Naturally, we came along, too. While the car was driving, we were dancing to the car radio and looking at the window.

But, why am I posting about a car ride? Well, the real action started when Sydney and her mom entered the Panera Bread.

"Hey.", said Logan. "I know you were bullied on the bus to Charlotte. I just want to say that I wanted to stand up for you, but I was bullied too."

"You were?"

"Yeah. They were mad because I wanted to play guitar, not the drums."

I felt good with Logan now, so I told him something I normally don't tell people.

"Do you want to hear a secret?", I said.

"Yes."

"I had cancer when I was 3. The chemo has gave me slight anxiety, so that's why I sometimes came off as mean. They said it would come back when I was 12, so it will come any day now."

"My sister had cancer, too! She wasn't as lucky as you, though. She died when she was 5."

"That's terrible!"

Then, a flock of birds started flying over the nearby Harris Teeter. (NOTE FROM SYDNEY- Harris Teeter is the local grocery store.) They all seemed so happy, so full of life. They were all in one line, all fitting in.

"I wish I fit in like those birds.", I told Logan.

As soon as Logan opened his mouth, one bird got hit and went down. But then, the bird soared higher than all the others, on top of the world.

Logan said, "You are like that bird. You dare to not fit in, but stand out. Any T.E.N.N.E.Y would want to stay with the flock. But you are the only T.E.N.I, and better yet, you rise up over your struggles. That's what I love about you."

"Really?"

"Really."

COMMENT DISCUSSION QUESTION: Does your dog love to eat.

MY ANSWER: Yes.