It was incredible how I had gone several months without speaking to anyone because I was too shy, but because I chose to sit next to two incredible people my life changed in ways I thought were only things I could dream of. Imagine if I sat in any other seat in that classroom that day I met them. Who knows if I ever would have talked to Heavenlee and Andy? They may never have noticed my existence. I might have never spoken to anyone for my entire high school career. I met those two by a perfect coincidence and a whole lot of luck.

It was the start of the second semester. I had given up on making friends by this point and I still wasn’t able to muster up the courage to talk to anyone. I’m not sure what I was afraid of. I just never knew when to speak or what words to say so I just stayed silent hoping that someday someone would talk to me. It was hard being all alone. I moved from Austin to Leander so my dad could be closer to his job. Going away from all the people you knew and had managed to befriend and come to a new school, it’s all alien territory.

Loneliness was always eating away at me but I ignored it because I knew it was only temporary, one day I’d make friends. Every day before I went to school I would think, ‘Today’s the day I’m going to talk to someone.’ It was just a lie, I never had the confidence to say something as simple as “Hi.’ I finally made friends one day all because of the place I chose to sit in class and the fact that they were braver than I.

After weeks of them trying to get me to open up to them I was finally able to talk to them. Slowly we became friends and then quickly we became best friends. Heavenlee and Andy changed my life in many different ways. Before I had met them, I was too shy to hang out with friends or have sleepovers. I wasn’t really sure exactly what friendship was. I thought to be friends with someone you had to get their permission. I know better now. To make friends with someone you force yourself into their life with laughter and smiles. Because they helped me open up, I was able to make friends with more people like Seth. Now I have three close friends and I never feel alone. Friendship to me no longer means that I have to ask permission. Friendship is now about being around people who make you happy and who make you feel important.