Article written by: Genessis Lemus-Diaz

As I spoke to Bella for the first time, I had a feeling she would become someone I’d talk to often in class. As we walked outside the classroom, I told her, “These might be a lot to answer, but I think they’re good questions.” She smiled and said she was ready.

The first thing I asked was, “What’s a personal goal you’re currently working on, and why?”

She paused to think for a moment before saying, “I always talk down on myself.” She admitted she’s struggled to find her own light and often compares herself to others. That really resonated with me because I’ve been through similar struggles, trying to fit in and feel comfortable in my own skin. It helped us warm up to each other quickly.

When I asked if there were any quotes she lived by, she said, “I’m not there yet, but I’m closer than I was yesterday.”

It immediately made me think she played a sport, and I was right. She told me she plays basketball, which explained why she looked familiar. That led us into a conversation about friendships, since we realized we have a lot of the same friends.

I asked her, “In either a relationship or friendship, what’s one quality that really stands out to you?”

She said that in a relationship, she looks for someone who is truly genuine and emotionally intelligent—and I can’t blame her. When it comes to friendships, she kept it simple with just four words: “Just don’t be fake.”

I asked her how old she was, and she asked for mine too. When she told me she was 16, I said, “Wow, I remember being that age; you’re doing way better than I was at 16.” That led me to ask, “What do you think your life will be like in the next 5–10 years?”

She replied, “Hopefully, I become a better person.”

I was honestly amazed. Most people talk about being rich, married, or having kids, but she said she just wants to grow as a person. That really made her stand out to me. She also told me she’s a shy person, which surprised me because she was so open during our conversation.

I then asked her if there’s something she’s passionate about learning or talking about. She said, “Type 1 diabetes. I feel like it’s a topic that’s not talked about much, and it’s something I used to be insecure about until I realized it’s never going away. It’s something I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life.”

My second-to-last question was: “What’s your dream job, if money wasn’t a factor?”

She told me either a teacher or a realtor. Then she added, “Even putting money aside, I’d still be a teacher, because at the end of the day, money doesn’t buy happiness.”

Finally, I asked her, “If you could get away from this city, state, or even country for a week, where would you go?”

She said Jamaica. She missed the basketball trip there over the summer and would love to go—not just for the food and culture, but to help kids in need.

By the end of our conversation, I realized Bella and I had way more in common than I ever expected. Talking to her was a great reminder that there’s always more to someone than meets the eye.