I started Red Hill in February of 2010. I was 23, almost 24, and needed to get my high school diploma. Since I was expelled as a teenager for fighting (that may go in another post, just to prove how bad ass I am), I had zero credits. I started at the very beginning. I went through the first 16 credits thanks to a program held at the school, then started Adult Day School in September of 2011.
Adult day school was different. I was scared, anxious and I reverted back to my old ways instantly. I sat at the very back of the class, my hood over my head and refused to have any contact with anyone. Until a very short girl came over and sat in front of me. Her name was Kaydie.
She was spunky, and younger than me by 5 years, but she was nice and asked if I wanted to go outside for break. No one had ever asked me to do so, so I shook my head no and looked back down at the notebook in front of me, thinking she'd just go away. She didn't. She stayed and started talking to me; asking me my name, random questions and prodding me until I finally agreed to go outside with her. Once outside, she stood there with me as a group came over, she knew them all, and introduced me. I just kind of stood there awkwardly while they all had a conversation. No clue what to do. When I was finally able to go back inside, I headed straight for the back, ahead of her, and tried to get my work done so I could leave. But she followed me, and sat down with me again. She was so chatty, it intimidated me. She never seemed to run out of things to say, while I sat there and searched for words in between her taking breaths. She was funny and witty, and she seemed to want to have a conversation with me, for reasons I didn't yet know.
I went to class every day and she came back every day to sit and talk with me. Eventually, we were hanging out all day, even after school; going to the mall, riding the bus together even though I was within walking distance. I even started waiting for her at her bus stop every morning. We had each others' numbers and we would text constantly. For the first time in years, I had someone other than my boyfriend who wanted to talk to me, and it was motivating.
After a few weeks of getting closer, I stopped hiding who I was when we went outside for breaks. Me and Kaydie were obnoxious, laughing loud enough for teachers to come out and tell us to be quiet, sharing inside jokes that made everyone else confused while we almost fell on the ground, in tears with laughter. I had never been like that, and it was scary to think that I didn't care what people thought of me anymore.
When Kaydie graduated a year before me, it was lonely at the school, but by this time, me and her had already become so close, we hung out almost daily. She came by the school to pick me up, I would spend nights at her house and we'd share out inner most secrets. The first time I ever went to a New Years Eve party was at her house, and we sobbed all over each other as the alcohol consumed our souls. Through her, I met other people I could be myself around, without being ashamed of how I looked or felt about myself. Kaydie opened up a part of my life that I wouldn't have had without her.
I can honestly say that I have a best friend. I never thought I'd be able to say that because all of the people I become close with leave me in some way. Other than my boyfriend and my sister, Kaydie has been the one consistent person in my life. She never makes me doubt her friendship, and that is something that I could never thank her enough for. People have let me down before, and I know that people are going to continue to let me down, but if I have my best friend with me to battle through the hard times, I think I'll be a better person at the end.
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