True Friends | Teen Ink

True Friends

November 18, 2014
By Jenna Koenen BRONZE, Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Jenna Koenen BRONZE, Pewaukee, Wisconsin
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

I don’t really tell anyone my problems or worry’s but Jack understands me, he really does. Hes like a natural at being nice and caring, no matter what you say he doesn’t judge you and he gets it. I think im done getting in trouble. *Slam* I close my locker with a thud. I think I’m ready to start over                                                                           
                                                
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 “beep” “beep” my alarm clock chirped. I threw my hand back reaching for the clock trying to find the off button. I look out the window, its completely white out no green in sight “stupid winter” I say getting up. It was a monday and I had school. I'm Carly, Carly Rebecca Johnson, I'm 5ft 2” with long brown wavy hair, I'm extremely shy. I'm shy because of a bad childhood memory with a teacher, she embarrassed me in front of the class. If I didn't mention it before I will now, its already four months into school and I’m in 8th grade. The first day of school is always the hardest for me, somewhat because I have so little friends and so much drama to start the year with, this year is the same as the last, starts out bad and gets progressively worse. I’m not the best student and the teachers are always giving me infractions, plus my locker has been messy since the beginning of the year. I looked at my phone it was 8:03, I grabbed my stuff and headed for the bus stop.
         

By the time I got to the bus stop it was 8:16, “I am ready” I mutter under my breath as I turn around stopping in my tracks when I see Grace walking toward me “nevermind” I whisper feeling a rush of disappointment come over me.
       

  Grace Adams one of the drama starters and braggers at my school. You are never right no matter what you say, she is always the correct person. But at some points in time she can be a really nice person if she wants to. Grace walks over to me, “hey Carly!” she says pulling her phone out her backpack “the science homework is due today, I finished it last week” she says while texting her friends “shucks I think I forgot it on my kitchen table” I say wondering if there was still time to go get it. The bus came shortly after that, It stank of moldy fish and sweat. The bus driver looked like he was wearing a wig that looked like Justin Beibers hair. “Hello young lady” he says in a deep voice, “hi” I reply plugging my nose and walking as fast as I could to my seat in the back of the bus. The ride was bumpy and I was anxious to get off the bus, the next stop was Jacks house. “Welcome!” I hear the bus driver cheer as Jack gets on “do you have any gumm?” some second graders say dragging m in gum. I watch him as he says no, plugs his nose and slides into the seat right next to mine. He ignores me and starts talking to Grace about Graces new backpack. I scooch farther into my seat and stare out the window.

         

Jacks a real jock. Hes all about sports and his family. He has 2 sisters that are younger and a brother who is older. I see something  flash in my face and I jump back. “Hey Carly” Jack says almost yelling while waving his hand in my face “hey” I respond “you were day dreaming” he said laughing “who were you thinking about?” he asks while him and Grace start laughing really loud. “I wasn't thinking of anyone” I say defensively getting up and gathering my stuff so I can get of the bus “yes you were! you had dreamy eyes” Grace chimes into the conversation, It was silent after that. When I got of the bus I felt the air around me and for once I felt alive “Im ready” I say laughing while running toward the school doors. 
       

First hour went by really slow its Comm Arts with Mrs. Rundell and we were either writing our persuasive essays or reading for seventy minutes. I am the lucky student who never gets things done in class so its always stressful homework, the bell rings as Mrs. Rundell says “don't forget Carly your essay and reading log are due tomorrow” I leave giving her a nod to signal that I heard her. I gathered my second hour binder and headed to french. My teacher is Ms. Grant, she hates everyone, shes a disaster waiting to happen everyday. Grace is in my French class, shes such a suck up “Ms. Grant I learned how to say a sentence is french” or “Ms.Grant I think your the best teacher ever” are only two of her favorite sentences that usually start of second hour. Grace is trying to start this year with new sentences like the ones she used today “Ms. Grant I cleaned gum off of all your tables this morning” and “Ms. Grant my father says hes going to get your salary raised because you the best teacher ever”. Second hour flew by fast with  Graces annoying questions and now it was my favorite hour, 3rd hour lunch time. *Bringggggg* the bell rings for the beginning of homebase. I’m in Mr. Marks homebase hes the coolest teacher ever, “Carly, I would like youuu to start cleaning yourr lockerr” Mr.Mark says dragging the last letter of his words “sure…” I say walking out to my locker.
        

My locker was a mess “howww in the worlddd am I gonna clean this mess” I say in my head opening my locker to a waterfall of binders and pencils flying to my feet. I start to organize my binders in order based on what hour I have them, I was working so hard I couldn't even believe it when the bell rang for next hour. I threw my stuff back in the locker “I will just have to finish tomorrow” I say feeling a little sense of accomplishment.
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 “I checked the homework calendar and it said theres no homework” I said to my mom before running upstairs to watch a movie “ok” she replied too tired to say anything else. Shes a lawyer and shes always too tired to talk much after her job. My dad’s an engineer he's also really tired when he gets home. I barely talk to my parents at home unless they get an email that I got an infraction. I never tell anyone about my life at home because thats my personal business.The next day on the bus was really weird, Jack wasn’t on and Grace just kept talking to me not taking the hint that I didn’t want to talk to her. I was happier when I got off the bus. I walked into first hour all happy until mrs. Rundale walked over and put a red sheet on my desk. “whats this for” I asked  “Who do you think you are? I give you homework for a reason to help you get smarter and what you do is disrespect me by not doing it!” she says harshly in my face I was scared “sorry I forgot” I mutter “ and your locker is horrible go clean it” she said “I gave you tons of chances Carly! why cant you do your homework like I ask” she finishes as the bell rang and I ran out of class. This always happens to me I always get yelled at. “Carly wait” “hey Carly I heard what happened in Comm Arts today, sorry” Jack says catching up to me in the hallway” “its fine I always get in trouble” I say “so do I” Jack says quieter.
             

Later that night my parents got mad at me for getting the infraction and said to go to my room, “this was the last straw” my dad said very angrily “no more chances Carly do your homework and stop making excuses, the teacher also said you need to clean your locker Carly finish that so we can stop getting emails about it” he yelled storming out of my room. Sometimes I feel like they will never listen and understand that I try to be a good student it's like they don’t care.
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“Hey Jack” I say running down the hall to get to him, “what did you mean when you said you get in trouble to, cause I was wondering if you could help me in math so I won’t get such bad grades cause your really smart” “nothing” he says quickly “ Jack you can trust me were friends” I say pleading him to tell me “I have something to tell you Carly” he says putting his hands in his pockets, slouching “ I am a troublemaker and those good grades I got stopped in 5th grade” he says walking away.
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A long time passed since he tolds me that and I haven't told anyone because that would ruin his reputation. Later that week after he told me he told Grace because they started dating and now the whole school knows but not from me. He isn't his normal self and I needed someone to talk to. I’ve been doing better in school and my locker is almost cleaned out and perfect. It is now May and we only have one month of school left. “Carly” Mr.Marks voice booms throughout the classroom “I would like you to clean your locker and finish it today ok” he says “ok’ I reply simply. I am almost done with my locker its like everytime I clean a section of it out I get clearer of some stress and I get better in school. Book by book I stack them neatly on the locker shelf, all I have left is my French binder to clean out and I will be done. I grab the garbage bag and throw away the stuff I don’t need and place my french binder neatly on the bottom shelf of my locker. “Im done” I whisper, “I feel a fresh start” I say smiling, I see Jack walking down the hall “Jack!!” I call out “Carly?” he asks “yeah come here” I say presenting my locker. “Its clean!” he says smiling while hugging me “Yeah” I say, “sorry Ive been ignoring you, true friends still?” “yeah, true friends still” I say while closing my locker, I’m ready for a new start and a new me.



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