Growing up is hard on any teenager and the transition into High School is really scary. Many guys are jerks after sex and girls are bitches trying to tear you down. You're fifteen years old and you're trying to find yourself and fit in with others, some kids will do anything to fit in. I'm not like that or at least I wasn't. I grew up with very little friends because I'd rather have one best friend than tons of fake friends. I always thought it'd be easier coming to High School and having my best friend by my side but it isn't. You still need somewhere to fit in or you became a target for people to make fun one. It's sad because I've never grew up wanting popularity or anything like that. It's hard trying to find who you're suppose to be at fifteen.

I was a freshman when I met him. Tyler Baker, my best friend with his brown hair and dreamy blue eyes. The melt in your shoes head over heels kind of eyes. He was a junior and the sweetest jock I have ever met. Tyler was a football star and really popular. Which was a surprise to everyone when he befriended me. I'm just a regular fifteen year old girl. I'm not too girly or a tomboy, not popular, not a so called 'geek', not bad in school but not the best. I wasn't busty or anorexic skinny. I'm average. So why did he want to be my friend? I have no idea I'm ordinary.

The day we became friends was a really awful day for me. I was new to the school like the rest of my class I was still trying to find my way and settle in. The normal things freshmen feel in their first few weeks at school. Emotions run high and all you want to do it have everything be familiar and easy but it takes time. I never really loved school but I didn't hate it either. I dreaded being stuck in the house all day when it was summer but once I go back I wanted it to be over again. It's the same routine every year but this year I'm in a new place. It's much different than starting Middle School. In High School it's bigger and there's more people. All kinds of people and all different ages from 14 to 20 for the 'bad' students. In the movies it looked way more scarier than it actually is. High School wasn't bad at all but it's still new and I was still having a hard time adjusting.

The lockers were bigger which made it hard to open. I finally gotten my locker opened and another member on Tyler's team had came over to me in empty the hall. It was during lunch time so everyone was gone. His name was Nate Lyle and he was a jerk with brown wavy hair and brown eyes and yes he was cute. Very cocky in the typical ways of a jock.

"Hi?" I asked looking him up from head to toe complementing whether my predictions are right.

"Hey hottie what's your name?" Yes cocky was the right word.

"Why do you want to know?" I asked not fully knowing why he was talking to me. I wasn't going to give up my name to some random guy hitting on me in school. I didn't care if he was kind of cute it's still weird.

"I'm Nate." He said skipping my question. I've never been hit on before accept one time on vacation but that was innocent and this feels anything but innocent.

"Nice to meet you Nate." I said not fully believing if that was true.

"You know I haven't seen you around." He got a little closer and it freaked me out. I usually don't get paranoid or anything if a guy is talking to me but this felt weird.

"I'm a freshmen."

"Oh that's it." Nate smiled.

"You want to go out sometime?" He wasn't shy about it either. I'm was only fifteen and not allowed to date till I'm sixteen and maybe he was a little too pushy or a lot too pushy.

"No sorry." I said with a fake frown I was about to explain why but he spoke first.

"What?" He was surprised and annoyed. His tone made me uneasy, I turned away to leave. Nate didn't like that he grabbed my arm right as I turned away. When I turned back he tightened the grip.

"OW!" I softly yelled. He wasn't use to being turned down he held the tight grip on my arm and I was scared. Luckily for me my knight in shining armor was there and saw the whole thing.

"Let her go Lyle." Tyler Baker said walking over to us with a stern voice. Nate laughed knowing it was his voice.

"Stay out of this Tyler." Nate turned to look at Tyler with his cocky attitude.

"Make me." Tyler got closer. They were practically face to face if I didn't know any better I would have thought maybe there would be a fight.

"Whatever." Nate let go of me and turned his head

"You're not worth it." He said and walked away. What I meant by that was Nate seemed afraid of Tyler.

Tyler had turned to me. "Are you okay?" I looked up rubbing my sore arm. I was stunned at his kindness after what I just encountered with the last jock I just met.

"Yeah I'm fine." It didn't hurt that badly. It was just more on the line that it scared me.

"Good." He smiled.

"Thank you for that." I smiled back at him.

"No need to thank me. Nate's a real jerk." He laughed and I smiled again. "Here let me see that." Tyler gently took my hand and looked at the mark. "I don't think it'll leave a bruise." I felt a connection when he touched my hand. He was so nice and handsome. I'd seen him in the hallway sometimes in the past few days and I thought he was gorgeous. I knew he was really popular with the way people treat him. I didn't think I'd be talking to him a few days later. I also didn't think he'd be so friendly. "I'm Tyler Baker." He looked into my eyes.

"Alex Russo." I smiled as he shook my hand I didn't want to let go so quickly. That day sealed our friendship.

I have other friends like my best friend Demi Lovato and our friend Joe Jonas. Demi and I have been friends since preschool and she's more like my sister than my best friend. For a while years ago she lived with me because her mom kind of kicked her out. So if we were really close before that you can see why she's a lot like a sister to me. You might wonder why a parent would kick out a seventh grader. Demi was caught kissing her step brother in his bed. Although it was completely innocent her mom decided living with me was her best option. It wasn't as harsh as it seems. Demi's mom would visit three times a week and give her money all the time to make sure she was okay. Joe is Demi's step brother. Their parents married when they were twelve but they've always liked each other. Demi stayed with me almost that whole year till she moved back home. The solution to Demi moving back in with her parents was that they live on different sides of the house. They did break up and for thirteen year olds it wasn't a big thing. They weren't ever going to do more than kiss at that age. They're both fifteen now and they sneak around. I help because I see how much they care about each other. I like them together I feel like a little matchmaker after telling Demi she should follow her heart. I do feel like a third wheel sometimes. Mostly when we go to the movies, the mall or hanging out in my bedroom. They end up making out while I sit and watch TV. That's why growing apart from them just some was okay. It's also why I call Demi my sister since she isn't my best friend. That's Tyler.

Tyler and I started to grow close after he rescued me from Nate. The night after it happened I couldn't stop thinking about him. The way I felt touching his hand and the way he cared about me. Tyler is the most caring person i've ever met. What other guy would go against his teammate for a stranger? Not many. It is hard being friends with someone you like. Every high five, hand touch, or hug I just get chills.

Becoming Tyler's friend was pretty instantly Tyler saw me in the hallway the next day when Nate walked over to me. Nate was probably going to repeat the same thing again but Tyler interrupted.

"Hey Alex!" Tyler smiled greeted me before glaring at Nate, who was backing away. Tyler looked back at me and invited me to eat lunch with his friends. I was caught off guard didn't know if it was sincere or just because he saw Nate but I agreed. I tried to not overthink it because I thought maybe he just didn't want to see Nate hurt me. It still proves he's a really amazing. I just was trying to find an explanation the only thing I could come up with is that he's just a really nice guy.

This was the day I realized how popular he actually really was. When we walked into the cafeteria people kept congratulating him on football stuff. The lunch was packed with people all around but two spots for us.

"Hey guys, This is Alex." I waved dorkily and we sat down and everyone politely smiled but they didn't care.

It was completely awkward eating with jocks they kept staring down my shirt. Their girlfriends kept whispering to each other laughing and it's really uncomfortable. There were one or two subtle comments about me. Imagine trying to eat lunch when five cheerleaders drinking only water are staring at you laughing. I've never been self conscious about my body. I don't really have a figure yet but it's still enough to make anyone uncomfortable. Tyler picked up on that and found me walking home later in the day.

"Hey stranger." I smiled.

"Hey Tyler." Every time I see him I get chills, in a good way.

"Where are you going?" Tyler said looking at me.

"Home."

"You walk home?" He asked.

"Yeah the bus gets smelly in the afternoon." I giggled as he laughed.

"I like your smile." He looked at me, I blushed.

"Thanks I like yours too." We laughed. We kept walking in the same direction.

"Where do you live?" I asked him.

"Duncan Street."

"Me too!" I said with excitement.

"Really? That's cool i'm surprised I never saw you before."

"I'm always inside." I looked around.

"Why?" He asked me, trying to understand.

"I just like to be home." I said.

"I don't buy it." He chuckled.

"I open my balcony doors and let the breeze in draw. It's the most peaceful feeling I know. It makes me feel alive if that makes sense." I looked at him.

"It makes perfect sense." He smiled and I blushed. "Maybe I can join you one day." He added.

"Yeah maybe." We got to our street and my house.

"It was nice walking with you." I said dorkily he chuckled. I walked towards my doorstep.

"Alex, Wait!" He asked.

"Yeah?" I said turning around looking at him.

"I'm sorry about lunch today. I saw how uncomfortable you were and it wasn't cool of me." He explained. Wow what a gentleman, to apologize for something that wasn't his fault.

"No no it's perfectly fine you were nice enough to let me sit with you."

"No, I should have realized what would happen. I don't want you to think I was like them when i'm not."

"Tyler it's okay I would never think you were like your friends."

"I only hang out with them because that's what teammates do." I didn't think Tyler would care about what I thought of him.

I got upstairs to my room and looked out my balcony. I saw Tyler walking to a house across the street four houses down. I remember growing up watching that house. It always had the perfect grass and there was always tons of cars there on holidays unlike my house. I grabbed my sketch book and flipped to the front. There it was. A sketch from two years ago but it was his house. I opened a new pages and closed my eyes before opening and drawing Tyler.