Why me?

I walked alone again today, this is normal for me though. No one in my school likes me, I don't mind them they all just have issues. I guess they don't like a girl who wears skinny jeans, My Chemical Romance T-shirts and converse. At least I don't dye my hair like the other girls with their fake blond hair, I have had red hair since birth and that's the way I'm going to keep it. I don't need to change to suit everyone else and I don't need them to change to suit me. These people are who they are, just as I am who I am, no one else can change that. Why would anyone need to change for someone? If the person doesn't like you as you are then they don't really like you do they. Makeup isn't for wearing at school so I don't wear it, all of the other girls wear it, but for school? School isn't that important to be wearing makeup to…

"Class, we have a new student so make him feel welcome!" My thoughts were interrupted by Mrs Myers, "This is Daniel Fredson," " uh hi…" "Daniel you can take a seat down the back next to Lauren, Lauren give Daniel a wave so he knows where to sit." I raised my arm and waved; he walked over and sat down. "Hi I'm Daniel" he smiled at me, well this was a new experience, "Hey, I'm Lauren" That's when I noticed we were wearing almost identical clothes, "Well this is weird… we are matching," I said with a smile, whoa I smiled, I genuinely smiled for once, "You like MCR as well? That's so cool!" he was happy for some reason… "So what school did you come from?" I wanted to start a conversation so I didn't have to listen to Mrs Myers talking about puberty. "Green hills state" "Oh really? I heard that place was nice, why did you leave?" "Because I was always alone, no one liked me and it got to me eventually…" "I have the same problem here… I've been on my own since I got here, and that was three years ago." "I guess we have more in common than we think." He smiled at me, I smiled back, I didn't really notice before, he has brown eyes and chocolate brown hair; it suited him, just like my bright blue eyes and red hair suited me… I guess. When the lesson had finally finished I stood and started walking to my locker, "hey could I hang with you? You seem to be the only person who hasn't looked at me like I'm a child molester…" "Sure, where's your locker?" "It's near the art room" "Oh, mine is near the nurse, I'll meet you outside ok?" "Yeah sounds good" so we walked in our different directions.

I finished getting my lunch and putting my stuff away. I walked outside and looked around for Daniel, I found him sitting in the shade on the grass so I walked over to join him. "Hello stranger" I said with a smile, he chuckled as I sat. "Hey Lauren, you can call me Dan if you want…" "Do you prefer Dan?" "Yeah." "Ok… Dan, you can call me whatever you want, I don't really mind what nickname I have." He thought about it for a bit. "How about… Ren? Because its short like my nickname but it also has something to do with your full name." "I actually like that one" I smiled at Dan; He seemed to be troubled though. "Hey Dan, you ok?" "Huh, oh yeah it's… nothing" "You know, we may have only met today but I do consider you my best friend already, you can tell me anything… I won't judge you or anything like that, because judgement is unfair" I gave him a small smile and he sighed "I consider you my best friend too… ok, I'll just say it as it is, I've been thinking about all the looks I've been getting here… how did you hold up so well? They are giving me dirtier looks than they were at my old school…" "Well I'll let you in on my way of thinking that I apply to everything that life throws at me," His eyes were locked on me as he nodded for me to continue "My way of thinking is literally 'Why should I need to change for anyone? If they don't like me the way I am then they don't really like me do they?' They can hate all they want, as long as they don't get in the way of my schoolwork then we won't have any problems, I don't need to be like them nor do I want to so I will be me and they can be themselves. I don't judge because everyone is different, so if you want to judge someone you should at least get to know them first before you make any assumptions." Dan was silent for a moment, he was thinking hard about what I said. "That's a really cool way of thinking about things, why didn't I think like that before?" "I guess it was for the best of both of us." "Why do you say that Ren?" "Because now we both have a best friend" That made Dan smile. The bell rang a little while after so we headed to our lockers. "See you in science Ren!" He grinned "Sure thing Dan." I smiled as I walked away, I really like having a best friend, especially one that can trust you, and it made me feel good about myself.

I sat in my usual place where I sit in every class, down in the back corner. I didn't sit there to be away from people, it was more so that I could get my work done without distractions. I was an A+ student and that's how it was going to stay. Dan walked in and sat next to me, he saw what I was doing and laughed. "I knew you were a good student but not That good!" He was pointing to my last test paper that had an A+ on it. "I'm very serious about my grades, I need them if I want to be a vet surgeon when I'm older. What level student are you?" "I'm just an A level student, I have gotten an A+ but that was in maths." "That's ok then… for a second I was thinking you were going to interrupt my work by stuffing around, we would have a serious problem if that was the case…" "No I actually care about my grades… unlike the jocks, all they care about is their hair…" This made me laugh, people looked at me as if they were in a state of shock. "What?" I questioned them, one of the girls responded "Umm… Sorry we didn't know you could laugh… you always looked so depressed…" Mr Banchie spoke before I could say something "Taylor stop trying to corrupt my two A level students!" Dan and I laughed, there was a few 'Yeah Taylor's from the rest of them but it all quieted down soon after and I got sucked into the lesson, as did Dan. Then came my second favourite subject, Biology! Dan apparently had the same electives as me so we were in every class together. We sat in our seats and Miss Kendall started the lesson by asking "Well hello there! Who is your new friend Lauren? If I may ask." "This is Daniel Fredson" "Call me Dan, and don't worry! I won't corrupt your precious A level student, I am just as committed to my school work as she is!" "Oh thank god! I was getting worried there… but now it seems I have been replaced by a younger person…" She gave a fake sniffle "Oh miss! No one could Ever replace you! You have a special place in my heart" The three of us laughed suddenly realising that the rest of the class were noisy as hell and were probably disrupting the entire school. The lesson ended a bit too quickly but I was starving considering I had a 'very healthy appetite' as my mum would have said.

So Dan and I met at the same tree for the larger of the two lunches that we have at school. "Hey Ren?" "Yeah Dan?" "Is this tree gonna be our regular lunch sitting placey thing?" "I guess so." "Where did you sit before I came here?" "I sat by myself next to my locker.. why?" "I don't know, just curious I guess." We sat in silence for a while, it wasn't awkward, just silent enjoying each other's company I guess. "You know what I just realised Dan?" "What?" "My nickname is from Ren and Stimpy…" He went into a fit of laughter and I couldn't help but laugh too. "How didn't you realise that before Miss A+?" He said between laughing, "I don't know!" I heard the bell ring "YES!" I yelled excitedly "Are you that happy to get away from me?" Dan said sarcastically "No! We have double art now! That's my favourite subject!" " Oh! Ok for a second I thought my only friend was sick of me!" We laughed as we started moving towards our separate lockers.

I sat in my seat with delight. Dan sat next to me down the back yet again. "Alright guys, go ahead with your drawings that we started" Mrs Greggs was my favourite teacher, not just because she is my art teacher but also because she has always liked me. I pulled out my art book and continued to colour a drawing that was almost done, I was just finishing the background when Dan started to speak "WOAH! That is frickin amazing Ren! How did you draw that?!" "With a pencil… I don't know." The teacher came up to us and said "She drew it with her master skills Dan, It's just that simple." She grinned at my newly completed work. "Hey Dan? Are you good at art as well as Lauren?" "I don't know… I can show you one of the drawings I did back at my old school if you want." He pulled out his art book and flipped to the last drawing he did. "Wow! That is really good Dan! You are a really good artist!" I have to admit I was actually surprised that he was that good at art… "Yeah you are! Just like our dear Lauren here! Oh and I'm happy you finally found a friend Lauren, you looked so alone when I saw you eating lunch by yourself…" Mrs Greggs walked off with a sad smile. "Hey Ren?" "Yeah?" "How come everyone is saying things like you looked depressed and sad? In addition, that girl didn't think you could laugh? Because since I met you, you have been laughing and smiling. Hardly the picture of what they described." I was silent for a moment, trying to think of what to say. "Well… I guess I was a little sad that I didn't have a friend… but that's because humans are social beings… we are meant to socialise…" "But were you actually depressed…" "Umm…" I was, I hadn't had a friend since primary school. "Well now you have no need to be depressed because I am here to be your shoulder to lean on, that's what best friends are for right?" I looked up at him and smiled, he had a very serious face on until I smiled, then he smiled back. I hugged him "Thanks for being my best friend Dan" "Thank you for being mine too"

After the bell rang we went outside where the buses lined up. "Hey Ren, do you catch a bus?" "Nah, I walk because it's only a five minute walk to my place, You?" "I live close by as well, where do you live?" "Davey Drive… You?" "Which house number?" "Number seven…" "Awesome! I live at number 20!" "Wow, small world." "Well, shall we walk?" "Yes Dan, we shall" We walked to my house first and we said our goodbyes. I waved him off and went inside. Mum was in the lounge room watching her program and my sister Kate was watching with mum. "Hey Mum! Hey Kate!" I said happily as I walked in and sat at the desk in the lounge room. "You seem very happy today love! What did you do today?" "Well mum, I made a best friend today! His name is Dan, he moved schools." "YAY!" They said in unison. The three of us tell each other everything, we are like a group of friends rather than a family but we are still family too… "How did you guys meet?" Kate spoke up "He was put next to me in period two and we found out we had a lot in common... he was in the same situation I was in at his school so he moved and now we're best friends" I smiled remembering earlier today. "Does he live nearby?" "Yeah he does actually mum, he lives down at number 20" "Oh wow! Small world huh?" I just realised how much I was like my mum… she is cool so that's ok. I turned around in my chair and started my homework when I got a text. 'Hey Ren! I forgot to ask, do you play video games?' It was Dan of course, so I added the number to my contacts and replied 'Of course I do! Why wouldn't I? I'm not insane!' 'I knew it! Sweet. Maybe after I finish my homework we could play something?' 'Lol I'm doing my homework too! Yeah after we should play something!' 'Text me when you're done so we can pick something to play! ' 'Sure!' I put my phone down and continued my homework.