I grabbed the little apple on the way out. My mom insisted that I eat something before I left. As soon as I got outside I threw it in the garbage can and got into the car for school. I started the car and sat idled on the curb. When I got tired of waiting I honked the horn.

Joe rushed out and ran to the car, obviously he was running late. When he seated himself in the passenger seat he caught his breath and said good morning.

“You’re late today,” I said with a slight chuckle.

“Yeah, sorry,” he smiled.

“You look tired,” I noted, looking at the circles under his eyes.

“I was up all night doing a project,” he sighed.

I laughed at him and drove off the curb towards school. He nodded off in the car and started snoring slightly. He really needed to stop procrastinating. I thought it was funny how our roles changed constantly. One moment he was worried about me and the next he was the one to be worried about.

We pulled up to the school and I let him sleep for a little while. I watched his chest come in and out as he breathed. When the bell was about to ring, I nudged him. He groaned and let out a yawn.

“I don’t want to be here,” he said sleepily.

“Neither do I,” I responded.

“Let’s not go, then.”

“Really? You’ll skip with me?”

“Of course. Besides, why would I wanna go if my best friend wasn’t there?”

“Very true.”

“Want to get food?”

“I’m not that hungry,” I lied. I hadn’t had a real meal in about a week now. It was hard, but worth it. I had already lost three pounds.


“Is everything okay with you lately? You seem… different,” Joe asked as he looked at me as if searching for something.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I quickly replied, not wanting to call attention to it.

After that we drove in silence until we reached the park. I loved to put my feet in the water and watch the ducks. Joe, knowing this already, began to take his shoes off and roll up his pants. I followed suit and rolled up mine too.

We tip-toed out of the car onto the hot cement until we reached the cool, soft grass. We looked at each other and, as if on cue, both ran down to the pond. Joe beat me there and as we were catching our breath he murmured taunts.

We sat down beside each other when we got close to the pond.

“Oh, that feels good,” Joe said as he stuck his feet in the water.

I nodded in agreement as I stuck my feet in the cool water.



We went back home after we left the park. Our parents weren’t home so we just went back to his house.

We talked about a lot of nothing at the park. A little about school and about how shocked how fast the school year was. How we couldn’t believe how we’d be seniors next year.

Back at his house we reminisced the past and thought about when we met. I remembered it so clearly.

In first grade, I walked home from school one day and saw a moving truck at the house next door. I saw a small boy crying and holding an action figure. When I asked why he was crying he said he had just moved here and had no friends. I told him I’d be his best friend and he accepted.


Ever since then we had been pretty inseparable. I’m glad I met that crying boy that day.

“I was so sad about moving,” Joe said with a laugh.

“I’m glad I went up to you,” I said with a grin.

“Me too.”
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