New Friends

I met Gaby when I was 12 years old. She is actually one of my cousin’s best friend and they probably know each other since they were little girls.

I saw in her a nerdy girl with nerdy clothes and nerdy glasses. She is the skinniest person I have ever met. She has dark skin, brown eyes and black long wavy hair.

I can say that I didn’t like her since the very first moment I saw her. As all of my cousin’s friends she was annoying, maddening, selfish, and she always kept my cousin from talking to me.

I didn’t like the way she talked, she was just spoiled and her breath smelled so bad that I made faces when I spoke with her.

Even thought I didn’t wanted to see her I had to, she always came to my cousin’s house, which is next to mine.

For my unfortunate luck my room is next to my cousin’s room, so every time she and Gaby had sleepovers I was the one suffering from their hysterical laugh attacks and terrifying screams. I remember that girl used to cause me nightmares.

My mother always told me not to judge a book by its cover but I couldn’t help it. Gaby was steeling my cousin from me.

My cousin, Paulina, has always been like a sister to me, in fact, I'm only six months older than her. We live together since we born and I couldn’t stand another person in her life.

When I was 5 years old Paulina and I went to our first day of school. My mom took us to school and when she left I started crying like if someone just hit me right in the face. And Pau, as I call her, was saying goodbye to my mom grinning from ear to ear. 

She always came to me saying “please, don’t cry. We will be at home in a few just minutes.” Of course it weren’t just a few minutes as she said but that really made me feel a little less sad.  

We went to school together only for 3 years and I really missed her in my new school.

There was a girl who always liked to tease me because of my glasses and because I cried for my mom every day. The next year she changed to another school. It was a coincidence that she now was attending to my cousin’s school.


For my cousin’s birthday that girl went to our house and my cousin took her by her hand and said “Do you remember her? She is my cousin and you better not tease her again!” I almost got to tears to hear my cousin’s words.

She has always protected me and maybe that was the reason I couldn’t stand Gaby. I felt she was getting my entire cousin's attention. 

Last year, in vacations, Gaby stayed at my cousin’s house for a week. One day I was tired of me acting so childish with Gaby since the day I met her.

I came up to her and started talking to her as if I cared what she had to say.

It turned out that she was actually funny and the most important thing, she loved my cousin just as I did.

She wasn’t the spoiled princess I thought she was and I wanted to know more about her.

Now I know my mother was right; you never, I mean never, have to judge someone just because the way they look or the attitude they project.

Gaby and me might not me best friends but since we go to the same church group I came to know a lot more about her.