Enter Mark - I watch the clock tick down and the moment the clock hits twenty five I hear the bell ring. I go to my phone and stare at the background. It is a knight in shining armour. I want to be like that. I look at my notifications I see a text. I slowly freeze more and more as I read the text.

“ Meet me in behind the school on Monday or else. Don’t tell anyone, don’t be followed. It will be just you and me,” I shiver at the text petrified.I speculated ideas of what could happen, none of those ideas were very pleasant. I check the time and notice I’m going to be late for the bus so I pick up my backpack and casually walk out the door while wondering about the world of pain I was in for tomorrow.

Enter Elliot - I walk into the class to turn in a assignment after school feeling trapped in a prison for twenty hours. I cross paths with Mark.

“Hey Mark,”
“...,” He ignored me as I walked past him but, I wouldn’t let that deepen my mood. I walked into the classroom to hand in my assignment.

“ Mrs. Smith I have my assignment,” I said with delight.

“ Oh that’s perfect, just leave it on my desk I’ll pick it up and grade your paper later,” She said kindly. I left the paper on her desk and noticed a phone. It was Mark’s phone. I read the text on the screen and was appalled by what it had said. I realized that if I wanted to help Mark I would have to tell him about it. I hurtled down the hallway but I realized he wouldn’t accept the phone from me. He doesn’t like social or more popular people like myself. Being an introvert, seeing more social people must make him feel slightly worse about himself. I had to get it to someone closer to him or I could just forget about coming to Mark’s aid.

Enter Montana- I slowly and shyly towards the exit of the school. I see many faces, all of them unfamiliar. I made a pact with myself to try to make one new friend. I bump into a boy with his hood on.

“ Sorry,” I faintly said, he didn’t respond. He didn’t seem to have many friends either. So I was going to pursue my first friend today. “ So, what bus do you take?” I asked him in voice louder than my usual voice. He once again stayed quiet.

“Hello my name  is Montana. What’s yours?”He brushed me off in the rudest manner.

“ Hey are you listening?” I firmly inquired. Then I realized he was ignoring me.

“ Nevermind,” I said as I reverted to my normal voice. I went to the drop off line to my mom’s car.

“ How was your first day at school honey?” My mom sweetly asked

“ A little worse than expected,” I told her with a depressed tone. A boy came up to our car with a slightly distressed look on his face

“ The boy you were talking to is going to be bullied and since you seem to be new can you come to the back of the school and help me stop the bullying?” He asked in a distressed and fast voice.

“Wait, what slow down,”

So he explained the whole situation in a rather urgent voice and how I might be able to get the phone to him because I’m new.

“.... I’ll think about it,” I meeped with my normal voice.

Enter Mark- I get on the bus with the text on my mind. What would a knight do, would he ask for help. I have no one to ask. There is only one clear answer. I must face this alone. I can’t be scared, I must face my problems. I am aware of what will happen  but, I will have to face the music and end this fiasco.

The next day after school I go to the back and I wait. I enjoy sitting stillness of silence. Then I hear thundering stomps coming closer and a surrounding thunders follow and my silence is utterly shattered. As I see the group, I felt like it was winter and I was going to shiver out of existence.

“Wait, you said it would be just you and me,” I said aghast by the large crowd.

“Well I decided everyone should see you come out of your… shell,” Tobias says with a smug grin on his face, he threateningly gestures me over so I come. As he winds up a punch, Elliot comes from behind him.

“ Hey man it’s time to stop this has gone far enough,” Elliot demanded in a deep voice.

“ Yeah it’s over,” The girl said in a larger voice than everyone else's. I’m not sure what her name was though.
“ Why are you defending him this isn’t about you,” He spoke in a irked tone. He seemed a bit annoyed that Elliot had interrupted.

“ Just because he’s a little bit introverted doesn’t mean you can torment him about it,” Tobias froze in shame after that. It seems that Elliot pushed a button. In that moment Tobias realized he was outnumbered and gave up.

“Whatever, not like I should care,” he said in a defeated tone and he walked off carrying a depressing vibe.
“Here let’s go to the library,” Elliot said. The girl cracked a smile at me. I wasn’t sure who she was though but she seemed familiar.

We made our way to the library there Elliot chose some seats to sit in and he started introducing himself.

“ Hey so if you don’t know me, I’m Elliot. I have been trying to become friends with you but you kept ignoring me. I love sports and I try my best to make new friends,” He spoke out with a cheer as we all acknowledged his glee.

“ Hello my name Montana I’ve never had a friend because my family keeps moving. I tried to make my first friend with you but you just ignored me as well,” She spoke in a soft voice. I never noticed how many people wanted to meet me. I felt guilty for ignoring them.

“ My name is Mark, I am a big fan of knights. I never noticed you guys wanted to be my friends, so I want to say I’m sorry, I never realized the error of my ways,”

“ It’s fine Mark, but I feel we will all be good friends,” I took knight’s oath to friendship in my mind. To be honest, it felt nice to have friends that have my back.

Enter Tobias- I went home that one day thinking why I sent that text, why I had all the students come to see this big scene, and why I was so concerned about how meek Mark seemed to be.

It reminded me of the second grade, I would always sit in the last lunch table by myself, I would sit in the single seat in the corner of the class and, I would always walk with me head down. One day after school a big fifth grader stood right in front of me and  started harassing me with insults and punches. I promised I would be tougher after that.

I now realize that was the wrong way to do it. So the next day, I sent another text to Mark to meet me in front of school today. When school ended, every kid huddled around me and Mark. At that moment I gave Mark my hand and said,

“ I’m sorry for all that stuff yesterday.”

I was grateful when I heard Mark say,“ It’s fine Tobias.”

He took my hand in return. I noticed that it’s better to have friends on your side.

Dedication page

I dedicate this book to everyone that has helped be the boy I am today and who will help me be the man I want to be one day.