Mary and me. Best friends. Forever? Ya,ya that’s what we said…that’s what they ALL said….lets start at the beginning. Fourth grade. New year. New school. New friends.


“CLASS TAKE YOUR SEATS THIS INSTENT!” Mrs. Mellow screamed at us. Not a good name I thought scoffing….but.. that girl-across the room…she did the same thing. Was she mimicking me for fun? I didn’t think so… “ok class…I am giving you 25 SECONDS to go meet your class and….go!” she said sighing as kids tripped over desks, scrambling to the new kid. Me. The mime girl got up to. She blinked at me. She walked over “Warth. Mary Warth.” She said hand extended to me. I took it as a chance to make one good friend, not 20 or 30 bad ones. “ Middle. Kendra Middle” I said giggling that made mime gi- Mary smile. Good I thought silently, I might have a chance of meeting more people. Mary broke my thoughts by walking away. Rude! I thought but, here she brought a group of well dressed girls over “ Sarah Mills, Casey Carpenter, Angie Tenor, and Kaylyn Legg.” She said pointing. “heeeyyy” I said laidback. The blond girl that Mary introduced as Casey scoffed . The others giggled at me. I looked down at my clothes as the girls decided about me “ so- whyd’ cha mo er’?” a girl with brown hair in a pony tail( Kaylyn) asked me “uh..” was all I said must be from the south thought “ answer her!!!” the other blond girl, Angie, asked a little to loud and a few boys laughed. “ my parents died..” I whispered. “WHAT?” Casey screamed and cuffed her ear at me. “ I said,” I spoke slowly and softly “ my.parents.died.” they all gasped. Loser for life ran through my head. Why?


A few years later, 7th grade, April 23, to be exact. We had a fight. It was common the preps (was what I called them) would make fun of me and Mary would usually side with them, later she explained, they would spread rumors. So what? She cared obviously. I saw her get stiff every time they walked by. “why the heck to you care what the preps think M-e?(her nickname)” I asked her one day when we were at my house. “excuse me?” she asked putting the jay-z cd down. “ well.. I have noticed…why do you care what they think of you? They will treat you like **** either way.” I blurted out. “ they are my friends.” She said voice quivering. “ friends DON’T pull that crap Mary!!” I screamed. “ they do!” she beginning crying and ran out the door. I didn’t know if she meant, the preps do or if she really thinks that’s how friends act…I was going to find out thought.