So, last night, Tuesday night, was the Teachers versus 8th grade Volleyball game. Thank god for it. For mulitple reasons but mostly for Mr.Barone.



In Seventh and Eighth grades, I had Mr.Barone for History. (I am a ninth grader) He helped me with whatever I needed help with, but he also knew me as someone who was different. I moved from one bad town to another during the summer of 2007. So I was new to the school. But not less me. New? Big whoop, I was outgoing, hyper, Charismatic. All the things I was before. He was amazed by the fact that I was new and not hiding in a corner. I raised my hand when he asked questions and I slacked off in his class, but passed all my tests, so it was cool. He was my favourite teacher ever. I was very justified in thinking this.

In 8th grade, I was having issues with my friends. Most of them fought with me. I had him first, and , as the year progressed, was getting worse and worse in his class. It all started with a close friend, Sarah. We were close, some family crap happened and I couldn't see her for some time. Like romeo and Juliet, Minus the love, and we were both girls. haha.I was a depressed mess.(I soon discovered how much i /loved/ poetry.) I would cry all day long and couldn't find the strength to stop myself. First period, one day, I was just crying, My eyes were all red, I was tired. (I had been pretty good at keeping it from getting too bad...) I had my head down on the desk. A friend, Ashlee, was sitting in front of me. Mr.Barone was coming around, checking Homework and he comes up to me and goes, "Kate? Are you ok?" No response. "Kate...Wanna go down to the nurse?" No response. "Kate...?" No response. Looking up at the desk in front of me, He tapped Ashlee on the shoulder. "Take her to the bathroom." Is all he said. He went on with the class. Ashlee grabbed me by the elbow and walked me out of the classroom. "Katie...Please talk to us." I kept sobbing. There was no more control. I just shut down, became a shell of myself. I went to the bathroom, sank into the corner and cried hysterically. 20 minutes straight. Ashlee just handed me papertowels and rubbed my arm. I could not stop. We returned to class and it flew by. He took no points off for that day.

Next one would be between me and Samantha. We had some large fight over something. I kept losing my friends and Mr.Barone could see that I was a mess. He could tell when I was upset. He would help me through those situations.

And the most memorable one would be A month before Field Day. As Eighth grade neared an end, almost all the teachers did no work. So we had free time, and man, could i tell you, interaction is not a good thing. So a friend and I, Jenna, got into a fight about something. Emily (Her friend), hated me. Jenna was suposedly moving, So Ashlee was at Jenna's house for the day. Just hanging out. I get a call at around 5. It's Jenna on Ashlee's cell. Emily is in the background. I am handed off to Emily. Emily goes , "Katie. Jenna just moved now. She's on her way to California." Not falling for it, because it was totally implausable I went silent and said "Oh. Cool. Right. Yeah." And she goes "No Katie! I am being dead serious! She's GONE" I shrugged, "Ok Sure." Jenna grabbed the phone, "Well, Fine. I see. You Don't care! Well, We never had good memories! All I can remember of you is when you said that terrible thing to me." *. I had never been so hurt in my life. I went on to cry. Ashlee got a hold of the phone. All I hear from her his yelling of Jenna to come back. "katie! KATIE! Jenna is marching down this hill! Hold on! I have to catch up!" She runs down the hill. Half an hour Later, Ashlee appears at my door. I walk outside with her and Jenna is down the block. Wishing to apologize to Jenna, I skip up to her. "I-" She smacks me. "STFU" Is all she says. "I wanted to sa-" "Shut up." She walks off. I grab her by the arm and say "You are an IDIOT! We have had PLENTY of good times together!" She shakes herself loose and say "Lay another hand on me, I will call the cops!" Feeling tempted i tap her. "Please..." She storms off down the block. You know when you tell a friend and Secret....and you kinda hoped it would stay that way, Well you tell them what bothers you...And it comes out? She marches down the block screaming personal things about my life. I ran home crying. I can't even look up. I walk in my door, my voice coated with tears "MOM! I HOPE JENNA DIES" and March up to my room, lock the door and await hell to freeze over. My mom comes up stairs and blah blah blah.

Field Day: 2009. Jenna and I had Joint friends, and not so Joint friends. Jenna had Emily and Kristine on her side. I had Sam. We both had Ashlee and Reanna in the middle. I smiled at them, Jenna and I fought and told them that I really didn't care who they were friends with and the opposing side shouldn't Either. Well, that was so not the case! They sat and talked with me for some time as we joked about Lady Gaga and different things. Jenna Emily and Kristine were not pleased. Kristine intimidated Ashlee and Reanna by saying "We aren't you friends. You are friends with Katie, She is a loser. You are losers ,too. As long as you a friends with her, you are dead to us." Not wanting to have my friends feel trapped. I felt very bad for them. "You guys don't need to worry about me. I have some other friends. You guys go ahead. Have fun." I was lying, but whatever. I wanted them to be happy. I brushed it off, luckily,there was one or two more events left in field day, that was the race, and sport. In Gym, we picked a sport and had to play it for the afternoon. Ashlee and I had Softball, so we chatted the whole afternoon. Attendance,and then walking back to the school. I took a spot at the front of my grade and walked without anyone at my side. Mr.Barone walks up to me and goes "Hey Kate. It's finally a free day and you are alone...Where is Ashlee...Or Reanna or your other friends?" I smiled and said "It's Ok, Mr.Barone. They are with Jenna and Emily and Kristine. I don't exactly care, but Jenna and her gang were jealous because they were talking to me." I shrugged. He smiled and said "Well, they will come back." I was frowning at this point, feeling lonely. He picks a Jacket up off the ground, "Do you recognize this?" I tugged at it slightly "I think it's George's!" He hands it backwards to Jesse. Jesse looks at it and hands it to me, "Katerina, bring this to George." I growled and pushed it back in his face. He forced it back on me. Mr.Barone whipped around and goes "Jesse, you leave her ALONE! She doesn't need you giving her crap, Go bring that to George." And without another word, Jesse was off. I looked up at Mr.Barone and muttered a thankyou. He didn't hear me and took a spot a few yards back, to talk to some teachers.

A few days later, Jenna and Emily were giving me problems again.I got into fights with them constantly, and cried my eyes out afterwards. Most of these took place at lunch. Mostly Jenna Manipulating my friends against me. Oh well. Friends weren't that important. I let them go. Big Deal. No problem. I was Absent quite often, so I didn't have to face the torment, Emily was a scummy sneaky Canieving jerk. So I told her so. She started and all out brawl in class screaming and crap. I was like "I said it cause it's true," Some kids giggled. I walked out. They were not pleased.

I was Absent one day. I had a Test in Mr.Barone's. He gave me the offer to take it 6th period. I hadn't realized that i had a test then too. Being very very fragile,I was on the verge of tears. (Read Above Paragraph. It explains a lot.)I walked up to my math teacher and told her i had to go take a test in Mr.barone's. She wouldnt let me for unexplained reasons. I got angry and started yelling. Mr.Barone came over too see what was going on. My math teacher explained that i had a test to take. Mr.Barone lowered himself to my height, looked me in the eyes and said, "Go to the Bathroom, Wash up. Come back in your Gym period," I sighed and walked to the bathroom. Whiped my face and went to class. I was teased because I was crying. But I focused on my test. Math teacher let me out as soon as I was done and I went to Mr.Barone's. He pulled up a chair next to him , talked me through what happened. I stayed there for all of 2 periods when I had to go last Period. I was not prepared to face the world. "Look at your Hands, Katie. The hands a very strong person. Now, name each one of your friends on each finger. One person per finger. All you will ever need is on there." I studied my hands for a long time.



I had been able to keep my friends on my fingers for a long time and still can. Thats all I need.

Last Night at the volleyball game, Mr.barone was there and I wanted to say thank you for all he had done. But it is kinda Silly and Embarassing if you think about it. My friends Sam and Sarah tried calling him over but I refused and they had to fill up the space. Eventually, I walked up to him and said "Thank you...for helping me." He smiled at me and said "Kate, Just remember. Fingers are the key"

I just want you all to know that no matter What, there is always gonna be someone counting you on their fingers...Someone who finds you close. And that you can always have someone to talk to....Even if it is a teacher.