In my cruel and unusual experience I learned that first impressions aren't everything. It was a Friday after school and I was a junior in high school. I had just met up with my brother and cousin by my lockers. They were talking about some immature nonsense while I was placing my books in my locker. That’s when my good friend Richard showed up. I've only known Richard for a couple of months, but he was still one of the nicest people I have ever met. Anyway, as we were walking outside I ran into a very unpredictable character. A kid named Josh.

I was walking down the hall one day with my buddy Richard. Then a kid went up to him and gave him a proper greeting. I had gum on me that day and gave one to Rich. Being the nice guy I am I decided to give Josh a piece. Josh immediately looked at me and called me a boss. It made me feel good inside. Like I could trust this guy. So we decided to go talk in the library. I don’t know how we started it, but we started naming movie quotations out of no where. We were having a good time. I felt as if I knew this Josh longer than I actually did. But then I decided to do a random noise from The Lion King and they didn't get where it was from. “It was from The Lion King! Come on guys!” I was smiling having a good time when Josh looked at me with a straight face and said “No it wasn’t YOU DUMBASS.” I was truly shocked, I had this person all wrong. Rich looked at Josh and told him to keep the language teen appropriate, which made me almost smile. “I could do whatever the f*** I want.” Josh was giggling as if it were a joke. I realized then that he had a really sick sense of humor.

After a couple of minutes Josh had to leave, and I was glad for it. I asked Rich why he dealt with his bull. He told me that he followed him around everywhere. Every second Josh met Richard in the hallway he would stick on him like a leech. And now I also carried this parasite. I might seem a bit cruel on this matter, but people would have to meet Josh to know what I’m talking about. Anyway, a couple of days later I was going toward the lunch room when I saw my brother sitting next to Josh with a very sorrowful look. The instant he saw me, my brother gave me the kind of look that screams out “Help me!”

I walked over to see what was going on. Josh was being the jerk as usual. What angers me the most is the fact that he thinks it’s all a big hilarious joke. So I got up from their table, got my lunch, and sat next to them. We started talking about gym class, and how I had a good reaction time. “Hey, could you catch this banana if I throw it to you?” I looked at him willing for the challenge. “Only if you don’t throw that like a maniac.” The idiot decides it would be funny to throw it at my milk. But as much as a jerk I thought Josh was, I didn’t know he would be as cruel as to spill my milk. He giggles and says “Ooopsss”. I look at him with a really disgusting look. My brother starts arguing with him about how it wasn’t necessary to do that. Just when I was about to say something I heard the table next to us yelling “Hey, hey Josh, hey!” I looked over to Josh and he looked very disturbed. He was quiet, he tried to block out the sound but it wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t believe it. Josh was getting a taste of his own medicine. But was it right? All my life I thought that nobody deserved to get bullied. But was this an exception? “Hey, don’t eat with your mouth open Josh!” Those guys were laughing and taking pleasure in making fun of Josh. They stopped after a minute. But suddenly all my anger turned into sorrow for the guy. The bell rang and we went on with our regular day schedule.
The next day when I went to lunch and I told myself to avoid Josh as much as possible, I didn’t want any trouble. Josh being the stalker that he is, sees me from the table he was sitting on. “Hey come sit here with us”! He was sitting with a nice looking girl who seemed to be bit overweight. I really didn’t mind the girl, it was Josh who I didn’t want to deal with. “I’m going to sit with my other friend today”. He looked at me with a dirty look and stuck the middle finger directly at me. I ignored it and went to sit with my other friend. The same day I was going to gym and he saw me and gave me a smile and a pat on the back. I looked back surprised! I just couldn’t figure this guy out. After school that day I met up with my cousins by the lockers.

When my cousin started to complain about us going home I decided to leave my locker and head outside. My friend Richard was there, so he followed me outside. Josh found us and started to walk with us. While me, my cousins, and Richard went to sit on the outside benches, Josh disappeared in the school. Richard and I decided to play cards while waiting for our ride to come. My cousin and brother started to make fun of Josh and how he was annoying. “ Hey guys, can you cut it out?” I said calmly. “Trying to play a game here”. Josh was walking toward us after talking to this one girl who had to leave. “What’s up guys?” Josh said with a smile. “Nothing much,” Richard said while distributing the cards. As Richard and I were playing, Josh started to have a conversation with Richard about some really stupid stuff. It got to the point where Josh looked at Richard and said “Go f*** your mom,” with a giggle. Richard was a really nice guy, unfortunately his mom passed away years ago. “You and I know I can’t do that,” Richard said calmly while still playing cards.

At this point my blood was boiling; I wanted to teach Josh a lesson. But then I remember a conversation I had with Richard long go. “I don’t understand why Josh thinks he has to insult us to be funny, and why he has to be such a jerk.” I said. Richard looked at me and said “Well, you have to understand that Josh comes from a one parent family, and that he has 2 other siblings, him being the youngest, he sees things different than we do.” So was it ok? Should we just forget about what he said because his father was dead? As I was processing this all in my head, Josh, my brother, and my cousin started to tease one another. It got to the point where my brother giggled with my cousin and told Josh “At least I don’t have a fatass girlfriend.” Josh quickly got up, ran up to my brother and gave him two blows to the stomach and one to the head. I was both shocked and pissed off. I began to think it was my brother’s fault for bringing the girl into the picture. You never have the right to talk about someone else if they are not involved in the fight.

I pictured that girl in the cafeteria with Josh. She looked so innocent . My brother should’ve never brought the girl into this conversation. But then all I could think of is, “Go f*** your mom.” I had forgotten that this was Josh. I remembered all the things he had done and said to Richard and I. Should I allow the same to happen to my younger brother? In this split second of me thinking I got up and said “STOP!” I was full red, angry and ready to kill, like a bull. Josh’s face looked frightened. He didn’t say anything for a while, but after a couple of seconds, he muttered, “F*** you.” His voice cracked, I could tell he was scared. “Clearly you guys can’t communicate with one another so I’m going to split you up.” Although I was literally screaming, Josh did not look at me. He only looked at my brother with anger. “Don’t you ever talk about my girlfriend again.” Josh said with a very sorrowful voice. “ He shouldn’t have talked about your girlfriend, but you have no right to hit my brother.” I said, still screaming. Then I got up, told Richard to have a nice day, and started walking toward the parking lot. My brother and cousin followed.

The following Monday, I did not see Josh. I knew he was there somewhere watching me, but he was not the old Josh anymore. These days I see Josh around, but we don’t talk. He still talks to Richard now and then, but not as much in front of us anymore. When I used to come to school I would be stressed and have to face Josh everyday, now I am free from that burden. I am both relieved and happy on the decision I made.It was something that I don’t l usually do, nor do I like to do. It just had to be done. Now I can have peace in mind when I’m in school.