Eight years ago, I met the guy who has been my best friend for years, but there were some challenges to making it this far in our friendship. My best friend’s name is Collin, and we have been inseparable for as long as I can remember. We have helped each other with deaths in our families, school work, and even self-doubt. People mistake Collin and me for brothers, but we are the complete opposites. Collin always wants to be outside even when it's raining, and I like to be inside, playing video games. I am better academically, and he is better at sports.

It all changed a few years ago, when we found Dean. He was a bad-tempered, disrespectful kid, the same age as me and Collin, who always insulted me whenever he got the chance, but he just loved to be outside, just like Collin; they just clicked. Every time Collin and I hung out, he was there, being a 3rd wheel. I really didn’t like how he disrespected everyone he met, sadly, including Collin. How he just took the disrespect, he was just getting pushed around, it was so infuriating.

Eventually, Collin slowly started to act more and more like Dean. He started badmouthing his mom, stopped doing his chores, and, worst of all, Collin started fishing with Dean! I tried helping him with his behavior, but he didn’t want any of my help. Collin wasn’t as bad as Dean, but he was still not too good. I just felt like I was a bystander to Collin and Dean’s friendship. I started to think that Collin was a lost cause, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Collin started to realize how bad of an influence Dean was, and after a while, Dean got on a new medication and started to chill out, too.

Dean still hangs out with us, but Dean is okay to hang out with now, even though he can get a little bit annoying after a while of hanging out with him. Collin now respects people and doesn’t roast them whenever he gets the chance. It's all better now, even if there are some after effects, like how Collin and Dean still go fishing together. The moral of the story is that sometimes, people change, even for the worse, but they can become better even if it seems bleak.

© Caleb. All rights reserved. If you are interested in quoting this story, contact the national team and we can put you in touch with the author’s teacher.