Everyone Needs Friends | Teen Ink

Everyone Needs Friends

January 21, 2011
By Josh Horst BRONZE, San Diego, California
Josh Horst BRONZE, San Diego, California
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

“Darn, mile run today,” I said dreadfully.
“What’s wrong with the mile run? It’s so easy,” exclaimed proudly my friend Shawn.
“Well sir, I’m not fast. The only thing I’m fast at is texting,” I said as proudly as Shawn.
“Ok then, I’ll see you at the track,” saying as he’s running to his group.

My name is Chuck. I am a semi-average middle schooler that gets into trouble more often than not. I have friends, bullies, teachers that get on my nerves sometimes, and most of all, homework. These are the things that make an average school day for me.
“Oh my gosh,” I said panting after sprinting the last straight-away of the last lap.
“Hey, what did you get on your mile?” asked my other great friend Toby.
“Nine-thirty, what ‘bout you?” I said still panting.
“Nine flat. Hey, do we have football today?” asked Toby.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure we do,” I said.
“Hey, what did you guys get on your mile time?” said Shawn joining our conversation.
“We both got somewhere in-between nine and nine-thirty,” I said.

























Horst/Everybody Needs Friends/2 “Oh, that’s cool. Well I broke my record. I got a five-ten! I’m happy , that made my day.” Shawn bubbled.
“How are you so fast?” Toby asked, wondering what his secret was.
“Conditioning,” Shawn said as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

“Ding, ding”, the bell exclaimed loudly.
“Oh, time for third period”, said Toby as we walked from the gym to our lockers.
Now this is my least favorite thing about school; bullies. They always think they are so cool that they can push us around like we are ragdolls. But someday, I just want to stand up to them so they’ll stop pushing us around.
“Hey fat cakes,” Luke said while slamming my locker shut.
“What do you want Luke,” I said ready for anything.
“Oh, just all your money. And maybe your lunch,” said Luke menacingly.
“No,” I said trying to stand up to him.


“Then how about a little KICK!” he said as his boot slammed into my stomach like a flying brick.
“What about now? Or do you want another go at it?” said Luke ready to kick me again.



I picked up my books, threw my lunch at him and ran to my third period. After I wiped the blood off with my shirt, I opened the door and sat in my desk before the bell rang. I sat next to Toby and Allem. Allem, another one of my friends, is a black belt in everything I can imagine. If sees anyone or anything getting hurt, he’ll beat the crud out of the person who is responsible. Not only is he a black belt in at least seven different classes, but he has dead aim, agility, and packs a punch.
“What happened to you? That person will wish he never laid a finger on you when I’m done with him,” whispered Allem, ready to track Luke down.
“No, it’s okay. You don’t have to do anything for me. I can take care of myself,” I said quietly trying to sound brave.
“Okay, whatever,” Allem whispered while slapping me in the nose.
“What did you do that for?!?!?” I said loudly as the whole class looked at me.
As the class started to turn around and do their work, Allem told me quietly, “I slapped your nose back into place”.
“Oh, thanks,” I said thinking of what I looked like with a sideways nose.




























Horst/Everybody Needs Friends/ 3
For the rest of the period, Toby and I crumpled paper and threw it in the trash bin. My next period was Science. All we do in Science is get shouted at and write notes all period. And even more sadly, I sit next to this girl named Kara. All she does is act like a mom away from home. She tells me “PEN, NOT PENCIL!!!!!!!” or “WE’RE ON PAGE THIRTY-SEVEN ADD A HALF, NOT PAGE THIRTY-SEVEN AND A QUARTER!!!!!!!!” Oh, what a life. But the good thing is I also sit next to Shawn. And of course, Kara is all picky about talking during class and does this every time she hears a word from me or Robby “SSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, I’M TRYING TO FOCUSSSSSSSSSSSS.” Yep, and that’s not the half of it.
“Oh, hurray, Science time,” I said while dragging my feet over to open the door.
“Aw, you’re right. I heard Luke gave it to you earlier,” said Shawn sympathetically.
“Yeah you got that right. At minimum I have a sideways nose for a while,” I said.
“How are you going to do football practice today?” Shawn asked me while we both walked into the Science jail of a room.
“I don’t know. I’ll try to push through it. Anyway, class is about to start.”
“Ding, ding,” said the bell as ear popping as usual.
“Okay class, pull out your notes before I scream at you,” said Miss. Teacher
“Don’t you think it’s funny how her name is Teacher?” I asked Shawn, trying to get a sentence in before Kara interrupted me.
“Well, I thin-“Shawn tried to say.
“SSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH, I’M TRYING TO FOCUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS,” said Kara as annoyingly as she could.


After about seventeen pages of notes, the bell finally rang and set us free. My next period was probably the worst period of the day. First of all, it’s math (that explains itself). Secondly, I have this period with Luke. And lastly, my science teacher is teaching this class. But I have this period with Toby, so that’s all that matters.
“I don’t want to go to math. I hate this period. It stinks,” I said, wishing I could be at home on my computer.
“Trust me, I don’t like this period either. I have a C in this class. I wish this class was never invented,” said Toby looking like he wants to somewhere else also.


When Toby and I were walking down the hall, Luke passed me and shoved a napkin in my face that looked like it was from the lunch I gave him. When I took it off my face it had written “I






love you, from Mom” on it. Wait, there was something else on it. It also had! “Me too fat cakes, from Luke.” This made me so mad, I threw the napkin on the ground and stepped on it.
“It’s okay, just ignore him,” Toby said.
“Easy for you to say. No, I can’t take this anymore. He’s been bullying me since fourth grade. I’m done with this. After school, I’m going to beat him to a pulp. Oh, he’s so done for,” I said while cracking my knuckles.
“I recommend you do-“
“Ding, ding”
“What were you going to say?” I asked.
“Never mind. We are going to be late if we don’t hurry,” Toby said as we were already practically there at the door.
“Phew, made it in time,” I bubbled.

“Please pass in the homework you were supposed to do last night,” said Miss. Teacher blandly.
“Aw man, I forgot. Hey Toby, do you have an extra homework pass by any chance?” I asked desperately.
“No, I already used mine,” Toby said.
Then I asked my other good friend, Dean, ”Hey Dean, do you have an extra homework pass by any chance?”
“Yeah, I actually do. Here you go,” Dean said sincerely.
“Thanks man, you’re life saver,” I said thankfully.
“No prob.,” said Dean.
“Here you go Miss. Teacher,” I said while giving her my homework pass.
“Thank you,” she said.

About twenty-million math problems later, it was finally lunch time. Lunch is probably the only part of school my parents don’t scream at me to study for.
“Hey, finally lunch time. The best period of the day,” said Toby while running to our usual eating table.
“I just want to sock Luke square in the nose!” I said furiously , not able to hold it back anymore.
“Why don’t you just talk to him about it?” asked Shawn.
“Why should I after all of those embarrassments, names, and beatings?” I said.
“I’m just saying, if you hurt him or call him names and such, you’ll just be sinking down to his level. You would be no better than him if you did those things,” Shawn explained to me.
“I guess you have a point. I’ll try. But if he tries to hurt me in any way, I’ll get right down to business,” I said.

After our good eats, we went to history. History was an average class; good times, bad times, and crazy times happened in this classroom. Our teacher was Miss Pinn. Miss Pinn was a really fun teacher to have because after tests, she plays games with us for candy.

“Okay class, we are going to do our report presentations today,” said Miss Pinn.

“Ugghhh,” everybody said in unison.

Maybe twenty report presentations later, I went to creative writing. Creative writing is really fun because I can write stories about whatever I want and I can choose what happens in the story.

“Hey guys, it’s that time again; creative writing time!” Dean shouted.
“Only one more period. Yes,” I said.

Twenty-bazillion stories later, it was finally football practice time. But I had to take care of something first.
“I thought you’d be here,” I said as I walked into the locker room to get changed for practice.
“What do you want, another beating?” Luke said, annoyed by the fact that I was talking to him.
“No I have a question for you,” I said, trying to stir up all the courage and confidence inside me.
“I don’t have time for idiots like you,” he said as he started walking away.
As I caught up with him and stood in front of him, I asked “Why do you bully me. Out of all people, why me?”.
“Go away, I have a practice to get to ,” Luke said reluctant to answer my question.
“Answer my question,” I said as firmly as I could.
“No,” Luke said.
“Tell me,” I demanded.
“Fine. Well, when I first came here, I saw you had a lot of friends, so I started hanging out with your group. Then I noticed no one noticed me, so I left your group and joined another. After I joined every group possible, I decided the only way I could make friends was to look cool and bully people. I decided to bully you because you were the ‘leader’ of the group. Now I know that was wrong. Will you ever forgive me?”
“You just poured your heart out to me. How could I say no? Okay, but we still have to get to practice on time”, I said.
We walked onto the football field as newly found friends.


The author's comments:
Basically rough times in school inspired me to write this.

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