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School was a blast-for those who knew what they wanted from it. For guys like Charles Erickson, however, whose life revolved around girls and who likely only succeeded in exams through some kind of malpractice, it was a different story. I often recalled the saying, "Determination is the key to success," but I figured he had discovered some alternative lock to get by, just as he had found an alternative way to steal my best friend.

Pardon my fixation on him; it's not jealousy-it's *over* jealousy. Charles is a pure dummy, his head probably filled with water at birth. It's sad to admit that I never voiced these thoughts when he was around. Not out of cowardice, mind you, but just look at those muscles! My little bones wouldn't stand a chance against them.

I know this flimsy excuse won't change your mind, so if you must call me a coward, at least shorten it to "cow." It's an improvement. In reality, I'm the exact opposite of what I'm portraying here: Charles is my best friend. I know it's confusing, but I tend to ride the coattails of popularity. It turns out that being friends with the popular crowd can rub off on you, and that's why people treated me with so much respect. It's not my fault I wasn't smart enough to carve out my name. I was just average.

At school, you're either popular for your looks or your brains. "The fresh boys don't ever make the top of the class," Miss Jones could be heard telling the principal. Was she lying? I didn't care. All I wanted was to be fresh, even for just a day. After all, he had snatched all the attention away from me-it hardly seemed fair.

You know who I'm talking about; I won't say his name again. It makes me want to cry, and you know that feeling.

Beckford College of Education in California is the best college in the state. Every kid dreams of just one day there. But for us, the students of Beckford, it was different. "We're tired of this place! Books, books, and more books!" we complained to those who envied our situation. They would reply, "We only play at our school; you guys are so lucky!"

Sometimes, I felt like this world was designed to serve us what we dislike, forcing us to improve. But not every student at Beckford shared this sentiment. As I mentioned before, school was fun for those who knew what they wanted from it-I never claimed to be one of those people.

As the bell for the first period rang, I saw the prefects standing guard, looking like trained watchdogs, ready to pounce. "Wait, was that Charles? Who the hell is he holding hands with? Oh, Julie. Great. Just what I need to start my day." I forced myself to focus, even as a thousand voices echoed in my head, causing my temples to throb.

"Hey Sam, is that a free seat beside you?" a voice broke through my thoughts.

"Sure, you can sit," I replied earnestly. Since Julie left, I'd been avoiding girls whose names started with "J": Jane, Judith, Jady, Juliet, Jessica, and the list went on. My class seemed infested with them. But then there was Janet, who I simply couldn't resist. It wasn't that she was drop-dead gorgeous; she just had this innocent charm about her.

Her soothing voice could turn sorrow into joy, and before long, I forgot about Julie entirely. We talked and talked, so deeply engaged that break time slipped by unnoticed, leaving us alone in the classroom.

Don't jump to conclusions-we weren't doing anything bad, just sharing stories. It was surprising how quickly we connected, especially since my best friend had abandoned me. But then, she asked a question that sent me reeling. I couldn't help but wonder, "Am I ready to go through this again?"

"Okay, let's be friends for now," I finally replied, my heart racing with nervous excitement.

And just like that, I stepped into a new chapter, unsure of where it would lead but ready to embrace the adventure.