fresh start

ᵒⁿᵉ: ʷᵉ ʷᵉʳᵉ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵏⁱᵈˢ

I was once young. I was once the age where we didn't care. I used to be nice, but I just grew cruel. I regret it. Every little bit. Everyday I wish I could take back the cruel words I had said to my now ex-bestfriend, Ethan. He was everything to me, but I left him. He didn't leave me, I left him. I left him and never apologized. I wish I could take back everything, but I am now in college and it's too late.

THIRTEEN YEARS PRIOR, I had been swinging on the swingset. A boy my age walked up to me and introduced himself, "Hi! My name is Ethan. How about you?"

I was very timid to answer, but I did anyway, "Stephanie... My name is Stephanie."

"That's a beautiful name. Hey, would you like to come and play tag with my friend, Blake, and I?" He asks.

"S-Sure.." I stutter. I got off the swingset and followed the dark-brown-haired boy.

A blonde-haired boy came jumping around and touched me. "Tag!" He said, running off into the distance you could hear him chuckle.

I look around to see if anyone was around. I saw my friend that I had just made a couple of minutes ago. I ran up to him and lightly tapped his shoulder, as he was gazing off into the clouds. I said, "I'm sorry Ethan... but... you're it!" I ran off, and he started calling my name, "Stephanie! What the heck! I thought we were friends!"

"I'm sorry Ethan!" I laughed as he chased me around the large playground.

Ethan soon caught up to me and when he did, he tackled me. "Ha! Who's laughing now? That's right! It's me! E-Man the Ladies' Man!" He kept laughing until I pushed him off of me.

I sit back up and fall right back down onto the grass. Ethan moves over towards me and falls down next to me. Ethan looks towards me and says, "You are the first girl to ever be my friend. You know that right?" I turn my head towards him, "I didn't, but you are my first and only friend. Forever. Right?" He nods, "Yes, forever and ever and ever!" Ethan looks up to the sky and I stare at him. His head was always up in the clouds, but who knew that the promise I wanted him to make, would be damaged by my own self. Ironic, right?

FAST FORWARD SEVEN YEARS (first day of middle school)

"I cannot believe my little Stephcakes is going to be a big middle schooler, when did you grow so much?" my mom says looking at me with almost sad eyes.

"Relax mom, you still have Jake" my younger brother, who normally never reassures her of anything considering he's quite a troublemaker but I think this time knowing she had one more did reassure her. She nods her head and gives me a big hug,

"Make sure to tell E-Man I said hi!" she half yells as I walk out of the door. I look back and give her a big thumbs up and walk out the door.

*At the Middle School*

"This is it, huh?" I turned around shocked to see Ethan's grinning face right behind me. I return the smile and high five him

"I guess so. Let's go find our schedules," We make our way over to the tables with our schedules. It's separated by letter of the last name. He, of course, is in A-L and I am in M-Z.

"Hey, I'm Natalie" I hear a voice behind me speak. I turn around to see a girl with short curly hair and a big smile only face.

"Hey, I'm Stephanie, want to see if we have any classes together?" I offer in hopes of making new friends in the big new school.

"Sure!"

Natalie, Ethan, and I compare our schedules. Natalie and I had four classes together while Natalie and Ethan had two and Ethan and I had none. "This can't be right?" I say in confusion staring down at our schedules.

"Maybe if you weren't so smart Miss Seminar we could have the same classes," Ethan says in a joking manner. We all laugh and with the bell head off to our first-period classes.

So you must be thinking, that's it? You had a different sixth-grade schedule and that's why you guys aren't friends anymore? I wish, he probably does too. That year I gained a lot of friends who were all super sweet and fun and Natalie and I became best friends. We hung out all the time and had so much in common, it was the best hanging out with her. Ethan and I were still friends just not as close which kind of sucked but Ethan and Natalie became close also which was kind of nice... I guess. When Natalie wasn't around Blake would always make jokes about throwing her away which honestly bothered me a lot less than it should have.

Fast forward a year and a half. Halfway through Seventh grade. Natalie's birthday. Blake, Ethan, Natalie and I were all just having a low-key hangout for her birthday eating cake on her bedroom floor when all of a sudden Ethan stands up. He gives a goofy smile to Blake and Blake sighs and rolls his eyes. "Natalie your blue eyes sparkle. Your blonde hair flows. Your laugh is everything, and your smile glows. Being friends with you has been fun. I want to take it to the next level, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes! A million times yes!" Natalie gets up and hugs him while my jaw drops and Blakes looks over at me concerned.

"Dude, that was cringier than I remember" Blake chuckles.

"Uh, I'm going to go get some water... Oh um, congrats you too" I stand up and walk off into the Kitchen. Shortly after Blake follows. "You knew and you didn't tell me?" I hit his arm angrily and go over to the water dispenser.

"Why would I tell you? You don't like him, do you? Ah, who am I kidding of course you do! You know you should work on making your crush less obvious, I can help if needed" Blakes looks over at me and smirks clearly proud of himself.

"Like him? No way! I just thought we were all friends that's all" I say quickly to shut him up.

"I'm sure" Blake laughs then walks out of the room. You asshole.

But that's only the very beginning to why we are not friends.