This I Believe

     I believe in long term friendships. Having a best friend that you've known a long time is like having a sister you actually like, a therapist, a partner in crime, a confidant, and most importantly, someone you would do anything for.

     I've known my best friend for my entire life. I know everything about her, she knows everything about me. I have know problem telling her my secrets, a neither does she. Sometimes, I don't see her for months at a time, but when I do, you would think we see each other everyday.

     My best friend and I used to fight a lot when we were younger. We'd say, “I hate you, I never want to see you again,” but the next day we'd be back together, as if nothing happened. That's the best part about long term friendships, you know too much about that person to just give up and not be friends anymore. That's how you know if you have a friend or a best friend. I remember the day when we were probably 7, she came over over to my house and we were building a tent in my basement. She had been over all day, and we were having a lot of fun when her mom yelled down that she had to go home. In that moment, we both ran upstairs yelling,”Mommy! We didn't fight today! We didn't fight today!” it was the first time ever, that we had gone one “playdate” without getting into an argument. And since that day, we haven't gotten into a fight.

      Friendship is one of the greatest things in the world to me. I believe that everyone should have a friend that they've known forever, and will hopefully know forever. I have one, and for that I am grateful. This I believe.

Character Relationship

     In the book"The Hate List" by Jennifer Brown, the main character Valerie had a boyfriend named Nick. The two of them didn't have many friends, but they had many enemies. Together, they made a hate list of all the people they didn't like. Valerie didn't mean for it to get as serious as it did. Nick killed many of the people on the list. And he accidentally shot Valerie in the leg, she was trying to protect a friend. After he killed all the people he did, he killed himself.
     Valerie had a hard time getting over Nick. She still loved him, and she felt horrible about it. Many people can't understand why she still loved him. It's a very complicated relationship. Throughout the book, she continues to say, "They didn't see the Nick I knew." I think what she meant by that was, on the outside, Nick was a tough guy, very dark looking and not many people liked him. But Valerie saw a different side of him, when she was with him alone, he was sweet to her and very loving. She loved him, and it's hard to get over a boyfriend even if he did what he did.
     Nobody understood Valerie, especially her parents. Why would you still love someone even if he shot you, and killed many of your classmates? To be honest, I don't think she really understood what he did, of course she knew but I think she didn't want to believe it. She was trying to pretend it didn't happen, she still loved Nick, and she knew he still loved her.

Revolt of the Evil Fairies by Ted Poston

    The protagonist of Ted Poston’s “Revolt of the Evil Fairies” witnesses, and becomes part of an extremely unfair situation with his theater teacher Miss LaPrade, when she doesn’t let him be Prince Charming in the play because of his dark skin. He shows us determination in the face of segregation and discrimination. He also shows us that it is important to stand up for what you believe in, even if you don’t get what you desired.

     The protagonist would do anything to get the role even though he “knows” he can’t get it because of his race and skin color. He threw his soul into his part of auditioning for Prince Charming to prove he was good enough, he even stole his sister’s skin lightening cream to make his skin lighter. Nothing could work, he was black, and he couldn’t change that, no matter how bad he wanted to. It's sad that someone would try to change the color of their skin for role in play. They shouldn't have to even think about doing that.

     He was inconsolable the first year they turned him down for Prince Charming. They picked another boy, who stuttered. But he was light enough to pass for white, so apparently that was competent. This teaches us that you shouldn't pick someone because of their skin color, you should pick someone based off of their capability.

     The real heartache happens when the love of his life, Sarah Williams is chosen for Sleeping Beauty. He becomes indignant when he is left as an evil fairy sulking in the background, while another boy is onstage, front and center, kissing Sarah Williams. During the play, the protagonist challenges the antagonist (Prince Charming), to a fight onstage, after he hit him on the head with his sword. The protagonist gets in trouble, and isn’t allowed to appear in the play next year, but at least he learned that discrimination is extremely unfair, and nobody should discriminate against anyone.

     The protagonist of Ted Poston’s “Revolt of the Evil Fairies”, is determined. He shows us that it is important to fight for your rights when standing up for what you believe in, even if you don’t get what you desired. This shows determination in the face of discrimination and segregation.