Serena hands in her paper

Serena Tsukino

Classroom C-1

Ms. Haruna

Friendship

My name is Tsukino Serena, I'm now fifteen years old. I used to believe that the only thing in life that mattered was playing video games, or eating, or sleeping, or just having fun. It was in the past year that I realized I was wrong.

I didn't know it but the day my life started to change happened on an ordinary day. And it all started when I was late to school and ran over a cat. I later found this cat…hanging around my house and unofficially adopted her.

It was through her, I somehow ended up meeting the most wonderful and special people I have in my heart. This essay is about friends and what's truly is important. I had plenty of friends, but none that I have bonded with like this. Even if we are so different, you'll be surprised just how much this group has changed me.

I first met Darien Shields. He's seventeen years old and is starting college soon, studying to be a doctor. I first met Darien in the streets, leaving my friend Molly's mom jewelry store in town when I threw my failed test paper over my head and it hit him, obviously, we didn't get along at first.

Then I met Amy Anderson. Last year, Amy was a new student at school and nobody liked her because everyone thought she was a 'stuck up, brain farm flunky,'. But I soon learned different. Amy was just shy and didn't really understand how to talk with people.

Not long after I met Amy, we went to Cherry Hill Temple, where we met the young priestess our age who lived there with her grandfather. Many people didn't like Rae because of the weird going on's and disappearances at the temple and blamed her and her grandfather for having something to do with it. She doesn't go to our school, but our bond is just as strong, even if she is a hothead.

I met Lita on my normal run to school. I had ran into a bunch of high school thug who were angry and wouldn't let me go even if I apologized. Lita came to my rescue. I later learned she was a new girl who just transferred here. Everyone thought she was a bully because she got kicked out of her old school for fighting. The truth is, Lita is a beautiful and the most girly girl I know. The only difference is she loves to fight, and real defend her friends no matter the opponent.

Mina is a girl who could be like my twin. She also doesn't go to our school; I met her when I ran into her in the streets. We bonded over the dresses in the window of a nearby school. She likes boys and likes to shop and play video games. But she has a kind heart.

Amara Tenoh is sixteen and goes to a local pregidious high school. I met Amara at the arcade and when I first met her, I thought she was a boy. It's an easy mistake to make, with her short boy cut blonde hair and baggy clothes. Amara is an amazing racer and is the only one who can beat Lita in a fight.

Michelle is Amara's best friend, a beautiful and gently woman of sixteen. She's the only one I know who can beat Amy in a swimming contest. But one thing nobody can challenge Michelle in is her violin, her playing is absolutely beautiful and makes me feel like I'm on the beach with the wind on my face and the ocean brushing against my feet.

Then there's Rini and Hotaru. Rini is my…cousin, the one I never thought I had, who came to visit last year for a few months while her parents were…traveling. She was only twelve but we were so alike it was scary. We hated each other at first but things happened and I realized I would do everything to protect her…because I now honestly love her, she's more than just a distant relative, she's family. Hotaru was fourteen when we first met, she was a sickly girl. We met her through Rini, when Hotaru helped catch her hat when it flew off in the wind. Although Hotaru was sickly, we did our best to make her happy and soon, she became one of us, she was part of our extended family and like all others, we would do our best to protect her like she would for us.

The last I met was Trista, a woman in her early twenties. She was…a friend of Rini's parents who visited to make sure Rini was being cared for. I didn't care for her at first because she was so cryptic but things happened…and she became one of us. Our little family was complete.

How did so many so different from each other become friends? It all started with a cat and worked it's way from there.

Darien-a jerk at first but a really lonely boy

Amy-a genius who didn't understand friends

Rae-a hothead with a temper but is always there when I need her

Lita-a half girly girl, half tomboy fighter who makes the best food you'll ever tasted

Mina-a girly girl and always put others before herself

Amara-a street racer with a gender complex

Michelle-a beautiful musician my little brother once had a crush on

Rini-my stuck up little cousin who love to taunt me but is happier just being together

Hotru-sickly and alone but with one of the gentlest hearts

Trista-a woman who cares for us kids more than she does herself

And me-the ditz of the group

How did we possibly become such close friends? How did I get so lucky? How do I fit in? Most girls bond over shopping and boys. But we had more things to worry about.

Darien was in the jewelry store with me when it was almost robbed. I couldn't let those innocent people get hurt and tried my best to help but Darien ended up saving me.

When Amy's extra class was hijacked by a crazy lady who wanted to brainwash the students into doing her dirty work, I was the one who stepped in even though we were attacked. Amy was the only one who managed to escape the brain washing before we broke it.

Rae was kidnapped by the man who kidnapped all the others on the bus rides from the temple. I saw and jumped on the bus last minute. All the occupants, mostly high school and middle school girls, were unconscious. Some kind of powder was in the air but I managed to stay awake. When we got there, a place I don't even know where is, working together, Rae and I managed to save the other girls and break out, with our friend Amy working on the outside, of course. Never could have made it without her.

Lita met a boy who was nearly kidnapped by this insane woman for this ability he possessed. I was passing by and ended up being the distraction before Lita ended up winning the fight. The boy, terrified, ran off, but it was too late. Lita became part of the group.

Me, Amy, Raye, and Lita were kidnapped and nearly killed but in the last minute, Mina who saw and followed us managed to cause a distraction and ended up getting us out.

Amara was nearly attacked by someone she called a friend. Me and Mina, still thinking she was a boy, was spying on her and ended up riding a bike to follow the chase. We managed to get a distraction in for Amara to escape. Michelle was nearby and furiously helped defeat this boy. The girl packs a mean punch.

Rini was almost kidnapped but ran into a construction zone. The man went to struck her but I refused to let it happen and took the hit meant for my da…cousin. That was when we truly started to bond. Hotaru was nearly killed from her sickness and would have been had we not managed to get to the hospital on time.

Trista was attacked but I knocked down a shelf in the store and ended up slamming it against the woman attacker. Of course, it would be because of a klutz attack, but it did save her.

Darien is our boy. Amy is our genius. Rae is our hothead. Lita is a cook/fighter. Mina is our shop-o-holic. Amara is our racer. Michelle is our musician. Rini is our little trouble maker. Hotaru is our sickly. Trista is our guardian.

So how do I fit in? I have often the same question myself. My friends, no…my family, finally told me.

I am the heart, the glue, the one that binds us all together no matter the obstacles we have to come across, we will always face them together. We are more than friends, we are family.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

When Serena got her paper the next day, she stared at the bright red A written in marker.