Sitting in the car with my dad in a Burger King parking lot, I said something I wasn't supposed to. "Well," he said, "you'll think differently when I'm dead."

With my head buried in a pillow in room 506 I thought to myself, "Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to die." I held my breath as long as I could, but the pain was too much.

I had just ran warm-up laps for All-Stars after eating a bowl of macaroni in the car ride over. I threw up, and Mr. Rosenberg, who sat in the bleachers, said, "Well I ate before I came, and I'm not throwing up."

I had just come out of the bathroom of J.J. Daniels middle school and the fair-skinned english boy on our team noticed my haircut, and said, "Nice dew! (doo)."

I was talking on AIM about visiting a friend. "I want to come and see you as a friend," I said. "Only as a friend?", they asked. "No, I want to take care of you."

I always called her back but something always came up.

I am proud that I don't drink, but sometimes I lie about it to fit in.

"She said she just wants to be friends," said Chris McGuire, about my first crush. Ben gave her a warhead at lunch and said it was from me.

"I bet you won't tell those guys to go sit down," said Chad's sister, talking about the three business men blocking our view of home plate. I got up and asked in a way my dad would have if he was there (Hey buddy/I appreciate it/etc.). The guy I asked would later on scratch his forehead, with only his middle finger.

"Who the hell got the controller all greasy?" Gus asked. It wasn't my fault they brought down Fritos, but I felt very guilty and victimized.

"I want to break up," I've never said.

"I love you," I've said alot.

"Will you marry me?" I'll perhaps say some day.

With my hand raised I almost was going to ask the teacher what was on the "other side" of the map of the globe. I thought maybe it was all just water.

While racing Kimani Allen on Field Day I realized I was going to lose a sprint, so halfway through I started limping and faked an injury.

One of the coolest things I learned in school was when T.K. taught me how to catch butterflies during one morning in 4th grade.

I still feel bad about kicking Mikey in the eye while playing duck, duck, goose.

When I broke my wrist and had to have a cast put on it, not a single person (or very few) signed it, because no one offered. People always asked me why no one had signed my cast.

All I've ever wanted is a close group of friends to belong with. I've only ever had this once in my life, which was over 5 years ago.

When I graduated Middle (or Elementary) School I cried. My friends made fun of all the girls who had cried later on that day, and I joined them.

I have a hard time being happy for others when it comes at the cost of me having to give something up.

I am easily bullied and buckle under peer pressure.

My name is Stephen, and the present moment is all I have.