Forever

The first day of school was not so bad. I got through it. In fact freshman year was great. I had an art class that I loved, and I even signed up for a creative writing class that Allie convinced me to take with her.
Sophomore year however, was not easy peasy, pumkpin peasy. Josh Ludo. Asshole. Best way I can decribe him. No wait, let me tell you more. He was this jock who walked around the school who thought he was God's gift to women. He was the same old description we all know. Tall, blonde, blue eyes, tan, built, quarterback of the Buccaneers, came from money. Girls flocked over him, and he knew it. He was digusting. Everytime he entered a room, I felt like I was going to loose my lunch. I think all the girls in my sophomore class wanted him. I think maybe the whole school of girls wanted him. Except one. You guessed it. Allie. She could care less about him or his good looks. He noticed this. It bothered him. He started approaching her at her locker between classes. He would lean against the locker, trying to flex his muscles, trying to impress. It was nauseating. My locker coincidentally next to Allie's. I remember one day after English I approached my locker, seeing Allie putting books into hers. Taking two other books out and stuffing them into her bag.
"So how are you today sweet thing?" Josh said grinning. I could see Allie was not impressed.
She rolled her eyes at him and zipped her bag up. I put in my combination on my lock, then clicking it open, opening my locker as I watched her in my peripheral vision. "I'm just fine." she said slamming her locker.
"Oh, hey, I didn't see you standing there." she said to me.
Josh laughed..."Who ever does see him? What a freak."
Before I could say a word, Allie turned to Josh, "Excuse me, but he is not a freak, he is my best friend. Now if you will excuse us." turning back to me and walking around to the other side of me so she no longer had to stand next to Josh.
"What? You are actually friends with this freak? He still thinks he is in the eighties or something with the jean jacket! And what's with the shirt?" he asked pulling my jacket back to see my shirt. "Who the hell listens to The Misfits? Who are they anyway?" he shoved me into the door of my locker. I had all my weight shift to one foot, grabbing my locker door for balance. I have to admit, as much as I hated the guy, I was scared of him too. He towered over me. I was not built like him in the least. I was this scrawny little guy next to him.
I ignored his comment and contiunued getting my sketch book out of my locker for my next class.
"Shut up Josh. Why don't you go bother someone else?" Allie snapped.
"What's this?" Josh asked snatching my sketch book out of my hands. He started flipping through it. Laughing. Amused and my drawings. Mocking everything I put my time, heart and soul into. Drawings that reflected my moods from day to day. A journal for a guy. My journal. My life. He came to this Japanimation drawing I drew of a girl. Big golden eyes, long black flowing hair. A purple shirt and black pants. Black and white converse.
"Awe look. He draws you in cartoon," he laughed and started to show Allie. I have never showed Allie this picture before. I actually only drew it a few days earlier. I planned to show her, I just didn't get around to it. Now it looked like I had a crush or something on her. At least that's the way it felt to me, the way Josh mocked my drawing and showed it off to Allie. She just started to glance at it when I grabbed at my book.
"Give it back Josh. Cut it out." I said.
"Ooooh..look at him...he's embarrassed. You have never seen this drawing have you Allie? Did you know this freak of nature was drawing you?" Josh laughed holding my book out of my reach as I stood as high as I could to grab it back.
He tore the page out and slung my book across the hall. It slid all the way down to the next classroom door. My heart tore with that page. I was just getting into Japanimation and decided I wanted to start drawing it. I remember Allie that day, sitting on Mikey's bed. Laughing. Beautiful. Big golden eyes. I knew she had to be my first Japanimation drawing. I was so proud of myself the way it came out. The drawing was beautiful, just like Allie.
It happened to me again, the part in the movie where everything is slow motion. Josh ripped up the drawing and threw it over my head like confettii. People that passed in the hall pointed and laughed. All I could do was stare down and the floor. A knot in my throat. Allie grabbed my arm. I heard her faintly ask if I was okay. I turned and shut my locker door. Dropped my bag on the floor at her feet and walked to get my sketch book off the floor. I walked back and picked up my bag, putting my book carefully into it and zipping it up. I turned and walked off. I left her there. I always walked with her to class, but not that day. I was embarrassed. Not because of the drawing, but because I just stood there and did nothing to defend her or myself. I was ashamed. Allie sat across from me at the art table. I could not muster up enough strength to look up at her. I knew I might break. I kept my head down, buried in my book. As soon as the bell rang, I grabbed my stuff and bolted for the door. I walked home alone that day. The cold crisp wind in my face. Making my nose numb. Tears welled up in my eyes. I was so mad. I let that jerk take my book and rip up the one and only picture in that whole damn book that meant something to me. It was gone. I know I can draw another. But it will never be the same.