You know those social circles people were in at least sometimes in their lives. Well I was in an artist and writer clique. And the non-artists were very few. Now, when I say artists, I mean the type that just draw and paint and sculpt. Not theatre kids or band kids. Of course not, they were not allowed to cross over. That would be really bad.

I was pulled away from this clique in my junior year.This was a huge sin to these cliques.I met this girl, and she was real nice. She actually found me one day crying because of how some of the girls in my old group had completely belittled me . I was hiding in the art wing waiting for my mom, and trying to hide evidence of the cruelty that had occurred.

This girl was not like the bias I had grown up with . She was warm and friendly and someone with a huge smile. But, there was an issue. She was not on the whole “drawing and writing” side of the arts. Oh no. She was the exact opposite.She was a musician and an actress. From what I knew, at the time, theatre kids and writers were not supposed to get along. Neither were band and art kids.At least, not in my school.Oh no this was bad. We talked and talked, for hours on end. And neither of us told our friends. After all, this was some Montague and Capulet stuff right here.(No I am not going to romanticize that work. So sit down.).We would meet up after school and hang out in the field nearby and do our homework and enjoy each other’s company. My friends had noticed that I was happier and less quiet. Of course they got suspicious, but I did not tell them.

Not until one fateful day.This is when the secret came to a close. One day, she decided to introduce me to her friends; without warning, of course, because she was one of those people to be very spontaneous. Of course I am her total opposite, I like having everything planned out. Maybe she did have it planned out but decided to not tell me. I never quite understood her (and I still do not to this day). Anyway, back to her friends. They accepted me with open arms. At first I was lost and scared. But then I was happy.All of them were so interested in me and my hobbies. Like I said earlier, our different social circles had never combined before, so this was something entirely new.It was amazing.

So I decided to do the same. I decided to let her meet some of my pals that she did not know already from classes.Unfortunately it was my worst mistake.They were nice, but a fake kind nice. But once she left.; it was horrible. They belittled her and crucified me. This went on until my senior year.

They continued to do that sneakily. And then one day, one of them , the leader, told me flat out to stop being her friend. My heart nearly stopped at that moment. She treated me with utmost respect. She let me speak my mind. Heck, she brought me with her to rehearsals. The teachers did not mind, as long as I was quiet (so I mostly did my homework back stage, or in the bandroom. My grades went up tremendously, as the kids there, whenever they had a free moment, would actually offer assistance to my work, especially math, which was a huge help. (A moment of silence as a thank you)).Her friendship was a blessing. I realized then. I cannot be controlled anymore. So I broke off from the really toxic people of the art group and only talked to the supportive and total sweethearts. It was a struggle getting away. Somehow I made it out alive.

In the end, looking back, it was one of the best things that have happened. I met incredible people who were kind and easy to talk to. I learned that I actually do really love theatre and instruments and I even was inspired to go back into singing. I still talk to these people that I met to this day, and I learned, a very special skill for life, that it is perfectly okay to branch out and talk to new people. And that may as well be the most beneficial thing I had ever done, in my younger years.