(derailed fairytale)

It was Snow White’s first day at her new school. She imagined it differently than all the rest of the first days. “What was I hoping for?” thought the tired girl on the way home.

Let me clarify something. This was her third school since her family had moved to Stockholm. In her native Wismar, the girl had to leave everything and everyone who was dear to her, and at that time she was desperately trying to start all over again.

“Today I had another chance to make friends with someone and stop being invisible… And now I’m thinking again how much I’m losing because of my own excessive shyness. Am I going to spend my senior year alone again?” Snow White asked herself.

Upset, she came home and, having no inspiration to share her impressions of the new school with her parents (there was actually nothing to share.), went to bed.

The next day after school, the class gathered to elect the President and the members of the student council. Surprisingly, there were not many willing. Three classmates and… Snow White!…ran for the post of President. This decision was truly spontaneous for her. When the teacher asked those three candidates if they were all who wanted to take responsibility for discipline in the classroom, Snow White suddenly stood up and said, “Four with me.”

Everyone was stunned. “Newbie?”, “Is she sure she will get support without having friends among us?”, “I wonder what her policy about our class will be?” whispers were heard from everywhere.

After an awkward silence, the teacher finally said, “Well, you guys have already tried your hand at this role, so I guess no one would mind giving this opportunity to Snow White, right?”

Two of them frowned. “If you trust a stranger to manage our class ̶ sure, no one is against it, sir. Just do not regret such a decision later.”

One, on the contrary, supported the girl. “I overheard Snow White lamenting yesterday that she never got to know anyone in her class and couldn’t win anyone’s favor, so I think becoming a President is a quite brave decision for her. It will definitely help her find friends and make her graduation year brighter. At least you already have one vote, Snow White,” the boy smiled.

So Snow White, unexpectedly for herself and for everyone, became the President of the class. It was not easy to gain the trust of her classmates, but the girl did not try to please everyone. She just faithfully performed her duties and tried to make studying as comfortable as possible. Within a month, Snow White found that the post of the President had indeed given her what she wanted so badly: real friends.

There were seven of them. They stuck together at school and hung out outside. Snow White really liked spending time with them, because she no longer felt lonely and invisible. She was interested in those people, and they were interested in her. The girl was overjoyed she found a company and thanked herself for the fact that one day she was not afraid to move out of her comfort zone, to meet her fear face to face, because this step allowed her to know what friendship was.