The school bell rings, it’s three o’clock. All of my classmates start picking up the books quickly, euphoric to go home.

I have decided to go with Kathy, a new friend of mine, to her house for lunch. On our way to her house, we hear somebody yelling. I wonder what happened. The screams come from a store right ahead. To my surprise, the person screaming is Suzan.

We had lost contact since the end of that school year. Her parents decided to change her from that school. I never understood exactly why, but I had never seen her since then.

One year later, there she is again. I stop and try to understand what is happening. Other people on the street come close to satisfy their curiosity. To my sadness, a salesman is accusing her of shoplifting. Suzan is desperately crying and yelling that she didn’t do anything. I come close and try to help her, but the salesman won’t even listen to another kid. The people, touched by her screams and tears, try to do something, too. Then the salesman, already impatient, says to her, “Get away from here kid, and I don’t want to see you around here anymore!”

I help Suzan to get out of that place, and we go to the park. Suzan doesn’t stop crying despite anything that I say. I can’t stop thinking that it is all my fault. I was the one who started stealing when we were friends. And then Suzan did the same because of my bad influence. Now I am out of it, but she isn’t. Seeing her this way makes me feel so guilty. I have a strong feeling of responsibility inside of me. I know that I should be the one to help her stop the wrong things I started.

Nara Neves was so successful in her studies at the Framingham Adult ESL Program that she has decided it was time to concentrate on her career. She is working as a CNA at St. Patrick's Manor in Framingham.