"Olivia, it's time to go! Get off your phone, please," Olivia's mom called.

It was Olivia's first day of first grade, and she was so excited to make new friends.

Olivia carefully placed her phone in her brand-new backpack and rushed out the door, across the street, and up the steps of the bus.

Olivia had expected to see her new classmates smiling up at her. Instead, all she saw was...

Cell phones

She was surprised. After all, her older siblings had always described the bus as a loud, fun place. But the only noise on this bus was the sound of fingers tapping against phone screens.

Olivia sat down in the nearest seat and turned to face the girl she was sitting with.

"Hi, I'm Olivia. What's your name?" she said. But the girl didn't answer.

Discouraged, Olivia took out her own phone and earbuds, and settled down for the trip to school. First grade was already not she had expected.

During class, Olivia's teacher, Ms. Green, had to ask the kids to put their phones away three times.

During lunch, not a single person talked. Everyone was on their cell phones.

And during recess, instead of playing on the swings or the monkey bars, everyone in Olivia's class sat down and played on their phones.

After another long bus ride, Olivia arrived home.

She was sad and, truthfully, disappointed. But she felt better as soon as her phone alerted her to a new message.

It was the girl from the bus, Penelope!

She had texted Olivia, saying...

thank you for sitting with me today! I hope we can be friends!

Olivia was so excited. She and Penelope messaged until dinnertime, and Olivia went to bed knowing she now had someone to talk with during the bus ride, lunch, and recess.