One afternoon, I was walking with Evan on the second floor. I talked on and on and Evan walked 1in front of me. As we turned a corner, Evan 2me and said the ten words. "Why are you talking to me? I'm not your friend." Those were the exact words he said to me that day. I stood there 3. He kept walking and never looked back. I4 to my next class with tears coming up in my eyes.
We 5 spoke to each other after that. I 6 into a shell, like a turtle, to hide from the world. For the rest of my time in middle school, I didn't 7 myself to get close to anyone. I push away most of my friends8 being hurt again. I avoided unnecessary9.
It wasn't until high school that I was able to 10my head out of my shell and begin 11people again. But even today, I am still 12 in choosing who I open up to. It takes me a very long time to warm up to 13.
I was twelve then. I was too trusting and I took what Evan said 14. Maybe he was having a bad day15 maybe I was talking too much. In my view, what he said to me that day 16 the course of my life, but if weren't for that 17, I wouldn't have met my best friends in high school.
I understand that, in middle school, we were all young. I've been able to 18 all the people who bullied me, but for some 19 I can't seem to forgive Evan. Those words that day hurt me more than anything. I believe that one day I'll be 20enough to forgive Evan too. But right now I'm still that twelve-year-old running down the hall with tears filled with his eyes.