SOPHIE AND RIE-RIE

One day Sophie and her friend were at the YMCA. It was the middle of January and pretty cold. Sophie glided under the water looking side-to-side watching everything underwater. Once she hit the end of the pool, she kicked off doing a flip and glided down the narrow side of the pool. Sophie came up for air as her wet silky hair stuck to her shoulders.

Her friend, Cassie shook her head, “Just not in the mood. It’s too cold outside to swim, even if it is an indoor pool!”

Sophie climbed up the silver slippery ladder squirming because of the tight, itchy and uncomfortable one-piece bathing suit. In the locker room were two other girls who looked familiar from school. But who didn’t? It’s not unusual to run into another 9th grader, who goes to the Y from the only school out in the middle of nowhere.

“Hi Sophie.” They would say, “See you tomorrow, by the way…” Sophie would just nod and smile. Even though she really wasn’t too outgoing.

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Sophie had to stay at her Aunt and Uncles’ house this weekend with her aunt, whom she called Rie-Rie, and her Uncle Matt. Sophie struggled to get the locker open, embarrassing herself in front of the others, and on top of that, her goggles left red marks on her face. Sophie gathered her clothes, and got into them.

Cassie laughed, “Your so clumsy, Sophie!” Sophie laughed, too. Before she left, she squirted the hand sanitizer in her hands from the wall, and she walked out with Cassie. They sat out on the bench listening to their IPod when a big honk came in front of them, scaring them to death.

“Just my brother. I hate him!” Sophie said. They drove his noisy truck home as he told them all about the trip they were about to take.

Walking in the door Sophie called, “Mom, do I have to go? I don’t like Rie-Rie; she is so overprotective!” Mom gave Sophie the evil eye, and that was the end of that, so as soon as Sophie was packed, she was in the car on her way with Thomas, her brother. As always, Rie-Rie was already in the yard ready to greet them. Sophie rolled her eyes, making sure no one else saw. “Hi Aunt Rie-Rie! I’ve missed you! Finally, I get to see you!” said Sophie, pretending.

Rie-Rie greeted them all with hugs. When Sophie was settled in, she read her book, feeling uncomfortable away from home.

Rie-Rie spoke up, “Tomorrow, I’m informing you, we are going to the zoo!” “OH, NO!” Sophie and Thomas thought. That night Sophie could not get to sleep. Why would she want to go to the zoo? She was, after all, 14! But early in the morning, Rie-Rie popped in the room, and said, “Get up! Get up! You must eat, and we can go!” So Thomas and Sophie stumbled in the kitchen and slowly ate. Sophie didn’t have time to get ready at all, then they just left!

As soon as they got to the zoo, the guide taught them all about the animals, which was so boring, until Sophie really thought… I have to do that report on the polar bear. So, Sophie pulled out her journal and began taking notes, doing sketches, and getting pamphlets. In the gift shop they bought a 3-D model of the polar bear and got a lot of information. Sophie was actually learning a lot, and spending time with Rie-Rie.

When she went home after that long day, she slept good that night, and she got an A on her project. And all she could think was, thanks to Rie-Rie and the trip to the zoo, I learned a lot, and got a good grade too.

Sophie learned that making the most of a situation you may think is not so fun can be, in the end, really beneficial.