The Lion King In The Human World.

The Challenger.

NALA

Hannah, Abby, Rosie, and Mary were gathered at my locker. "Did you see the new girl? I hear she's from England and talks like the girl from Harry Potter." Mary said.

"We've never had someone from another country before," I said, "At least I don't think we had one before. I'm not really sure."

Hannah shrugged. "I hear if you have a boy, to lock him up so she doesn't steal him." she eyed me. "You hear that Nala. Make sure Simba knows he's your boy."

"What?" I asked.

"Do you want the new girl stealing your boyfriend?" Rosie asked.

"What?!" I shouted, "Simba's not my boyfriend. I'm a single woman and I like it this way." Okay, so I lied. I would like to be Simba's girlfriend, but I'm just glad to have him at all. 

"What?!" Abby shouted, as if she thought we were dating, "Girl, he walks you home everyday. You two always eat lunch together. You still wear the locket he gave you on your birthday years ago. You both wear those friendship bracelets everyday. You two are the cutest couple ever and you're not dating?"

"We don't see why we should date," I said, "We're so young."

"Doesn't stop Connor and Katie," Hannah said, "They keep trying to be cuter then you and Simba, but they so fail hard."

"He's still not my boyfriend," I said, "Not all best friends have to get together when it's a boy and a girl."

Hannah rolled her eyes, then she looked to the side. "So you're not upset about the new girl talking to Simba." I looked.

The new girl, Daisy, was talking to Simba. "So?" I asked, "What's the big deal?" Then Daisy batted her eyelashes at him. She likes him! She likes my crush! How dare she!

"Oh, I knew there was something going on between you and Simba," Rosie chuckled, "She's going to sink her claws into him if you don't act fast."

I froze. I remembered a time when Simba and I said we would be married one day. We had broken off that deal, but would Simba actually like date someone else? We went to our first dance together, doesn't that mean something?

I kept my eye on Simba and Daisy all day. He was showing her around, so they were together most of the day. I could have blamed all that on him being the student who volunteered to show her around, but when I saw them on the bleachers together after school, I ran out of excuses.

"Do you like it here?" Daisy asked. She did have an English accent by the way. 

"Yeah, lived here most of my life," Simba said.

"Most?" Daisy asked, "Where did you live before?"

Simba shrugged. "I don't know. I washed up on a beach nearby with no memories when I was about five, maybe. It's hard to know when you lost your memory."

Daisy put her hand on Simba's shoulder. "That's terrible," she said, "You poor thing. I hope you remember all you forgot sooner then later." 

Simba shrugged. "I don't really care," he said, "My life's pretty good without my memories. If they come back, they come back. If not, then they don't. It's not going to change much. It's not like I'm the heir to a kingdom or to millions of dollars or something like that." 

"That's a strange attitude to have about losing your memories," Daisy said.

"It's how I see it," Simba said, "When's your father getting here?"

"I don't know," Daisy said, "Let me check." She was on her phone for a few minutes. "Dad didn't think his meeting would go so long, so he can't pick me up. And Mum's still in customs."

"Bummer," Simba said, "Do you know how to get home?"

"Not really," Daisy said, "Do you know how to get to Lake Street?"

"Sure, I can walk you there," Simba said. He was walking Daisy home instead of me! I really was losing him.

"That sounds lovely," Daisy said. They stood up, Daisy snatched up Simba's hand, and they started to walk away. Simba didn't even text me to tell me he wouldn't walk me home. I had the feeling I just lost him.

I ran and hid in my room when I got home, where I walked to by myself. Mom must have seen that because she came up with cookies and ice tea. "Nala," she said, "Are you okay honey? Was it Katie again?"

I shook my head. "It's Simba!" I screamed, "He walked Daisy home instead of me! Rosie was right! Daisy's stealing him." I felt the tears come. I didn't even bother to whip them away. "I do like him, but it's too late." 

Mom put the cookies and tea down on my nightstand and hugged me. "So what if he walked another girl home once? He's still your best friend. And you're a little too young for a boyfriend quite yet. Wait til you're in high school at least."

"But Daisy's gonna sink her claws into him," I sobbed.

"Where did you hear that?" Mom asked.

"Rosie," I said.

Mom sighed. "I'm gonna have to have a talk with her mom," she said, most likely to herself. "It's okay sweetie. No one's going to sink their claws into Simba. You'll see him tomorrow and everything's going to be fine." 

My phone beeped at me. It was a text from Simba.

Simba: Sorry I didn't walk you home.

Simba: Daisy, the new girl I showed around today, didn't have a ride so I walked her home.

Simba: I hope you don't mind.

I started texting back before I realized what I was texting him.

Nala: Go right ahead and walk your girlfriend home! See if I, who had a crush on you forever, cares!

I had hit send before I read what that said. I was horrified. What did I just do? Did I just tell Simba I liked him? I threw my phone to the foot of my bed and screamed into my pillow. "I guess I'll put sugar in the tea," Mom said. Like that would fix anything.

The beeps that told me I had a text message rang. I didn't read them. I was too embarrassed by what I had said to Simba. Mom came up with the now sweetened tea and she tried to get me to talk it out with Simba. Mom doesn't understand, you can't talk something like this out. My friendship with Simba is ruined.