I in the Alphabet Soup

Most kids outgrew their imaginary friends, but eight-year-old Ivy Standfield didn't.

Her pal wasn't just any imaginary friend. He was a rock star when it came to being special. He was a dancing, sunglass-wearing, rainbow-scaled iguana named Iggy—and he had more personality than a box of fireworks.

He wasn't always helpful, though he did try his best. Once, he got her in trouble for trying to feed her homework to a squirrel. He argued that he'd eaten the nuts and had to give the squirrel something. "It looked hungry."

But Iggy was loyal, funny, and made Ivy feel like she could do anything —especially when she didn't think she could.

They'd recently moved to a new city, and Ivy hadn't made any friends. Standing on the sidewalk, staring at the monstrous building looming in front of her, Ivy decided that starting at a new school was the worst.

Iggy sat on her shoulder. Invisible, of course. His tiny claws clung to her shirt, holding on tight because she was trembling.

Iggy hissed, "Come on, kid. You don't want to be late."

Ivy inhaled deeply and let out a breath. "Of course not, Iggy. I wasn't stalling, I was just thinking about how great my day was going to be."

"That's right, Ivy. Always make your move with a positive attitude."

She took one step toward the school and stopped. "I can't, Iggy. Let's go home."

At that very moment, Carter shoved his best friend, Zane, into Ivy, knocking her to the ground. "Hey, newbie. Who are you talking to? The trees?"

Without thinking, Ivy snapped, "He's an iguana if you must know."

The boys laughed and raced toward the school, not giving Ivy another thought. She stood, red-faced, and brushed off her new uniform.

"Oh, Iggy, I can't do this. I can't."

Iggy moved close to Ivy's ear and whispered, "You can!"

Ivy shook her head, "No, you don't understand."

Iggy sighed. "But I do, Ivy. Remember the story I told you about how the scary creature with the mask on his eyes was about to eat me? The hawk swooped down, his claws outstretched, aimed directly at the two of us. They both thought I was the last snack available in the area."

Ivy sniffed. "That was just a story, Iggy. It's not the same."

"Yes, it is, Ivy. They were both bigger than me, but at that crucial moment, with my life hanging in the balance, I used my brain and disappeared as they fought it out."

"So, you ran — I can't run away from school."

"You're looking at it all wrong. I didn't run. I outsmarted the two bullies, and you can do that too. Just march inside, chin high, and show them what a soldier you can be."

Iggy could see he was making headway and continued, "Come on. Shoulders back, chin high, and march. Repeat after me — I can do this. I can do this. I know I can do this."

By the time Ivy reached the door, her confidence was high, and she hurried into the classroom when the school bell rang.

*****

That afternoon, she sat alone under the big pine tree, drawing pictures in the dirt.

"They're jerks," she whispered.

"They're insecure," Iggy said, lying on a branch above her with a leaf on his face like a spa towel. "Zane can't even spell 'iguana.' I bet he thinks it starts with an E."

"I was so embarrassed, Iggy. They were all laughing at me." Her thoughts flashed back to the classroom.

The teacher had asked about their pets to break the ice. Zane raised his hand and stood up, looking directly at Ivy. He cleared his throat, grinned, and said, "Ivy's got a pet iguana."

At first, the class oohed, thinking an iguana would be a fun pet. But then Carter laughed and yelled, "But he's invisible—her imaginary friend."

The classroom broke into laughter, and the teacher had to rap her ruler against her desk to get them to stop. Ivy had hung her head in shame, burying her face inside.

*****

For a few days, the teasing kept up. Ivy avoided eye contact. She stopped answering in class. She even stopped talking to Iggy out loud—just in case someone heard.

But Iggy didn't go away. He just waited, perched on her desk and tapping his tail like a drum. Sometimes he whistled off-key while eating invisible cheese puffs that left crumbs everywhere.

"I'm not going anywhere," he told her. "Even if you pretend I don't exist. I'm an excellent pretender, too."

*****

Then, one Thursday during recess, everything changed.

Ivy was sitting by herself near the jungle gym when she heard shouting.

"Whoa! Whoa! WAIT! Noooo! "Aaah!"

She looked up.

Carter was dangling from the monkey bars by his backpack strap, upside down and panicked.

Zane was trying to pull him up, but his climbing ability—or lack of it—only made things worse. Carter twisted, the bar creaked, and one of his shoes flew off and hit the slide with a bang!

Kids started screaming. A few teachers ran over — but they were across the field. Too far.

Ivy leaped to her feet.

"Iggy!" she whispered.

He appeared instantly, popping out from behind the tire swing. "Let's go, Gecko Girl!"

Ivy didn't stop to think. She ran faster than she even thought possible. Iggy zipped beside her, doing cartwheels in the air.

When they reached the bars, he shouted, "Right foot up. Left foot over. Grab the bar—yes! Ninja mode!"

Ivy scrambled up the side like she'd been born in a jungle gym. She reached Carter, steadied him, and unhooked his strap just as Zane got a better grip.

Together, the three of them got down safely.

Carter's face was red. "I—uh—thanks," he mumbled.

Zane rubbed his arm. "You're good at climbing. I didn't know you were —— so brave."

Ivy blinked. "Brave? No, I just needed to help —" She paused and added, "That's what friends do."

*****

That afternoon, no one called her weird or made fun of her. Carter passed her a juice box at lunch. Zane sat beside her in art and asked what iguanas really ate.

*****

That night, Ivy lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

Iggy dangled upside down from her lamp cord, swinging back and forth.

"Pretty cool save," he said. "That flip at the end."

"You helped."

"You think I'd leave you hanging? I'm an iguana of honor."

Ivy smiled. "Do you think they'll be nice tomorrow?"

"Don't know," Iggy said. "But I do know this — you were kind to them when you didn't have to be. That's real strength."

He stretched out on her pillow, tail curling like a question mark. "And that, my friend, is why I stick around."

And Ivy? She didn't mind that one bit.

She closed her eyes, murmuring, "Good night, Iggy. See you tomorrow."