My mom named me Shadow because I looked exactly like her as a baby. I get made fun of because my name is different, but I like it because I am different.
My mom doesn’t have much money, so she cuts my hair. The kids at school were teasing me really bad today, so once I got home I ran to my best friends to tell them about it.

I couldn’t keep from crying when I started to tell them what happened.
My best friends are the trees. I tell my stories to them because I know they won’t share my secrets and they understand me.

While the tears drip down my face, I hear something. I try to calm down and wipe them away before someone sees. Quietly I ask “Hello, is someone there?”

A little lady bug comes creeping around the tree and replies, “Are you okay, sweetie?” I’m too surprised to say anything at all. “My name is Lady, please don’t cry. I get made fun of too, but for being small and weak”, she continued.
“You just prove them wrong and teach them that everything’s okay, because you are happy with who you are and what you have.”

Lady is so pretty and brings good luck, so I tell her that. She just shakes her head and yells out “Buzz, come over here!”
I am a little scared as a bee starts flying around the tree and I back away a bit, until Lady stops me. “Sweetie, he won’t hurt you, just listen to him.”

He lands near Lady and jumps right into his story. “Since I have a stinger, people are scared of me and won’t even talk to me.”
“They run away because they don’t know that bees only sting to protect themselves from getting hurt. Lady was my only friend for the longest time. She taught me to love who I am and that is the kind of friendship we will give you too.”

I’m glad I’ve found friends that know what it is like to be left out and made fun of. “Thank you,” I said. “It’s kind of hard being 8 and they are so mean. I think I will be okay though, I will stay myself, just like you guys did.”

I smile as I run back into my house and hug my mommy and tell her I love her, and my new haircut.

I may be Shadow, but, I won’t shadow other people. I will be myself and be happy. I’ll be a real person that has real love and real happiness.