My First Four Weeks from Hell
By Tayler, age 14, California
At the beginning of my freshman year, I believed I had everything I wanted: a boyfriend, no drama, lots of friends, and a future as a cheerleader. My life went crumbling down the day my boyfriend called me and said he was just diagnosed with tachycardia (i.e. excessively rapid heartbeat) and heart failure. I was absolutely terrified. About a week later, my best friend called telling me he had a brain tumor the size of a softball on the base of his brain. My life had just become complicated. Why me? Why had God given me all these responsibilities? Why did I have to be strong for everyone else? But you don't really have true drama until your boyfriend thinks you've cheated on him.
It was at the first home game of the football season. I was wearing my black and silver Mustang colors, and Kevin (my boyfriend of two years) was wearing pretty much the same thing, just a little bit downplayed.
I was hanging out with him and my friends Jasmyne and Cody. Jasmyne had tried to hook me up with Cody weeks before. She really had no idea I had a boyfriend until I stopped her one day in the hall and explained everything. Jasmyne had started everything ... almost. Cody still had the hots for me, and Kevin knew it.
Kevin left me with them for ten minutes, and I guess somewhere in that small fraction of time word got to him that Cody was trying to put moves on me. He came back pretty steamed. He looked like he was going to kill Cody. I guess to get my attention Cody grabbed my lower back. Kevin turned around with our good friend Silver (yes, that is her real name) and walked off, not wanting to fight. I slapped Cody, but it was too late. Kevin was already thinking I was cheating. I had no idea what was going on. He was very quiet.
Kevin's mom came to pick us up after the game, and I went to the car first. He had to stay behind to help his friend with the stuff from Pit (the Bells portion of the halftime show) because his friend was in marching band. Jasmyne, also in marching band, started to talk to Kevin.
"What's wrong, Kev?" Jasmyne asked.
"I'm mad at Cody," Kevin replied.
"I don't blame you."
That set him off. Kevin really thought I was cheating on him now. But I would never do that to him! We were too close, and I love him so much. I spent the entire weekend trying to make him believe me. Well, he believed me, but he was willing to get expelled from high school (and that would have happened, had not Cody walked away from the fight) so that Cody will never, ever have a chance with me.
So far high school has not been the best years of my life.