So and here is the next chapter! ^^

The new one

The food in Lindenhof was almost always good. There was rarely what the girls called "munch". Traditionally, it was especially good on the first day after the holidays. Today there was cake with whipped cream for dessert. And as much of it as you wanted. Hanni wanted three of them.

"Did your parents starve you during the holidays?" Asked Elli.

She hadn't even eaten her only piece because she had to watch out for her line. She was pretty and vain and tended to be plump.

Hanni replied seriously and with a full mouth: "Exactly that, Ellimaus. That means, we weren't exactly starving, but Paps bought a hundred cans of dog food at the wholesale trade. Nanni and I should eat them up. It doesn't taste good, not even with ketchup. That's why ....., housemother, please, can I have another piece of cake? "

As always after the holidays, everyone was talking loudly about a thousand different things over dinner that evening.After the most exciting experiences had been exchanged and the noise level normalized again, Ms. Theobald knocked on her glass. She made a little welcoming speech. That was also part of the tradition. Finally, she introduced us to two new students. A first grader who actually got red ears when asked to get up and say her name.

Hanni and Nanni and their friends were not interested in the little redhead. That was a "baby". They had forgotten that not so long ago they had started as such "babies" in Lindenhof.

The second new one was far more interesting because it probably came into her class. It was a tall, lanky one; she wasn't exactly pretty, but she had a clear, personable face, light gray eyes and short, straight blond hair. She didn't blush when she had to say her name. Her name was Marion Henders and she came from Northern Germany.

"I would like to say a few words about Marion," said Ms. Theobald."So that you know why she comes to us. And also to prevent any curious questions if ....."

Marion raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"Please, Madam Director, may I myself ..."

Frau Theobald looked at her confused. It seldom happened, that is, as far as she remembered, never before that she wanted to introduce a new student herself. A tiny wrinkle appeared on her forehead and then smoothed out again.

"Of course you can speak to your new classmates yourself," she said gently. "By the way, Marion, I don't want to be called the director here in Lindenhof.

"Thank you, Frau Dir ..., Frau Theobald." She brushed her hair back from her face, now a little nervous. "So ...", she began, "So ..... I want to tell you why I came to Lindenhof, although I would never have dreamed of going to boarding school, and neither would my parents .Maybe you think I'm crazy because I want to stand here and talk about myself.You may not care at all. Or maybe it is. In every school, a new person is asked a little bit by bit. That is normal. I want to forget what happened at home. That's why I'm telling you today. And then, please, let's not talk about it again. "She paused.

Nobody broke the silence. The girls looked at each other, they were curious and confused at the same time. What did Marion want to tell them?

Was it a confession?

"She must have eaten something bad," whispered Marianne. "Maybe stolen."

"Or cause an accident," Carlotte continued the subject with her lively imagination. "There is such a thing. There is some carelessness in traffic, with the bike for example, a car driver has to avoid and runs over a child. Then Marion was to blame for his death.

"Nonsense with sauce," mumbled Nanni. "Better listen!"

"So ...", Marion started again. "My parents, my brothers and I, we live in a small town near Hanover.Our neighbor has a stud with a riding stable. I learned to ride when I was seven. Since then, riding and horses have been the most beautiful and most important things to me. When I got older, I helped out in the stable and was allowed to ride for free every day. Then I started tournaments. Please don't think I'm cocky, but I have to say this now, because it's part of my story - I was pretty good. I've won a couple of youth cups. Wilko, the head of the riding stable, said I would have a career as a show jumper in front of me if I continued to train so diligently. "Marion swallowed." I've been training. And it finally happened during training. The boss had given me Catalina, his most beautiful horse. Of course not for free. But it still somehow belonged to me. I loved her so much. Yes, and then Catalina got stuck on the plank, and the obstacle wasn't particularly high. We fell ... "Marion swallowed again.Her eyes were large and almost transparent.

"She's crying," whispered Nanni.

"No," said MArianne, "she doesn't cry. But almost. She dominates herself. She impresses me. Apparently a super athlete."

Sport was extremely important to Marianne. A newcomer, whose skills as an athlete she recognized, could be sure of her friendship.

"I was passed out.", Marion continued. "I only woke up again in the hospital. I had a back injury. Wilko told me that he had to shoot Catalina. It took me a long time to walk. Now I'm well. The doctor told me I didn't have one, but one Had at least three guardian angels. Today I can take part in light sports, swimming and gymnastics are even good for me. But I'm not allowed to do competitive sports. I wouldn't care. Just: I'm never allowed to ride again. "

You could have heard the famous pin drop in the Lindenhof dining room. There was no pin.For that Petra had to sneeze. The other girls gave her punishing looks. She was terribly embarrassed and sneezed again.

"I am grateful that I have not remained a cripple," said Marion. "But it was so difficult for me when I got home. From my window I see the riding arena and the horses, I hear the commands and the howling of the horses. I even recognize some of the horses by their howling. My brothers are ten and twelve. They all ride. I encouraged them to do it. I couldn't take it any longer. That's why I asked my parents to send me to boarding school. My aunt was in Lindenhof for a year as a young girl. She said There wouldn't be any horses here. That's why I came here. Thank you for listening to me. "She sat down and drank her cold tea. Not because she liked it, but because she wanted to avoid the looks that were directed at her. She was glad she got it over with.She had to muster all her courage to talk about her problem in front of all the strange girls and sweepers. Now it was over and hopefully she would be left alone. Of course, everyone was talking in confusion at all tables.

Frau Theobald interrupted the babble of voices only briefly to say she hoped that the "old" Lindenhofferinnen would help MArion settle in. "And," she said, wearing directly to Marion, "I wish that you feel comfortable here and make friends that make it easier for you to cope with your grief."

Marion was given a chair at the fourth grade table. At first the conversation was a bit sluggish because nobody dared to ask Marion a question. Not even about her previous school, her friends, her other hobbies. After all, it was Marion who asked. As a newcomer to the boarding school, you want to know a thousand things. Then the housemother appeared with a pack of bedclothes and towels."You arrived just before dinner and have had a busy evening behind you," she said warmly. She had overheard everything from the kitchen door. "I'll help you make your bed. You can unpack tomorrow."

Bobby and Carlotta, who shared MArion's room, jumped up.

"We'll come with you," said Carlotta. "If we all help together, Marion's stuff will be tidied up in ten minutes. Then tomorrow she can enjoy the first day in Lindenhof in peace." She grinned. "But they make the bed anyway, housemaid. None of us can do it as beautifully as she."

"Of course," laughed the housemother. "My offer is valid."

At the table of the fourth there was now only talk of the new one. Opinions flew across the table like ping-pong balls.

Marianne said: "It's great that she has won tournaments before. I'm sure she's a great athlete. That means it was her. It's a shame that she retained something from the injury. Otherwise she would certainly be a good handball or handball player Tennis player. "Carlotta said: "" I understand you so well, poor! When I think of my horse when I was at the circus. My God, it seems like ages ago ... "

"Well, she's nice, I think," said Elli. "But not particularly pretty. She should at least curl her hair. Curls would look a lot better on her."

"I'm sorry," said Hanni. "She needs friends."

"I'm sorry for her too. All of us," sighed Nanni. "Of course, it annoys her every day from her window to watch the others doing what she can no longer do. But she will certainly put this horse complex off in the course of time."

Anja said nothing. She thought: I understand her grief. Only, I would be so happy myself if I could at least walk normally .....

So that was the second chapter!

Mikaela