Nicholas Overwhelmed [Published Version]

Chapter 8: 5 Months Later: HSP Takes Over

As I get out to recess, I go to Jace and tell him, "I don't think I wanna be friends with Henry, our personalities don't fit to be friends."
    Jace answers, "I'll talk to Oliver about it. Last time there was trouble, he had some pretty good advice."
    Henry and I talk about a plushie that we both like and we head out to play soccer.
    I kick the soccer ball, but I miss it. Then Henry said, "Bro didn't even hit it, but nice try." I felt a giant lump in my stomach.
"Can you please not say that?" I ask. Henry answers, "Bro, you're too sensitive to every little thing, just be normal." I start walking away and take out my notebook. I start writing my story. I've always wanted to become an author.
As we still play soccer, I hit it again and Henry says the same thing. I feel anger so I say, "I just see you standing there not even doing anything. At least I'm trying." Then, in my head I say, "Idiot."
As I get into the car, I ask my mom, "Can I talk to you...privately." She nods.
I head into mom's room.
"Mom, I don't wanna be friends with Henry anymore." I say.
"Why?" She asks.
"Our personalities are very different."
"Well, do what's best for you."
I thank mom for helping me. I call Jace and tell him about my situation. He says, "Ok, I talked with Oliver about it and he says, 'just try to be friends.'" I tell him I don't wanna be friends with him, but I also say, "I need to do what's best for the group, don't I?"
    "Not really, no, just..." Then my phone died and he never called back. I say to myself outloud, "OH NO! I AM GOING TO BE A PROBLEM!"
I shout it as loud as I can and every person in the house opens my door and starts screaming at me. I get so overwhelmed, I don't even hear what they are
saying. I just close my eyes, but I feel like I'm being overedged.
    As the morning comes, I wake up, and I'm in a hospital bed. Mom tells me what they were screaming. Dad was saying, "WE KNOW!" Brayden was saying, "YOU'RE WAY TOO SENSITIVE!" And Julia said, "NICHOLAS! MOM HELP ME!" She said I was in the hospital because it got too loud for me and they said I am also sensitive when it's really loud, and my ear drums were hurting.
    As I head into school late, I see Jace, Oliver, and Henry. I wave hi and go to my seat.
    As I head outside for recess, I look at Henry.
    "You know James is coming back next year? You're so stupid!" Henry says to Jace. Jace looks at me. In my head, I so badly want to say, That's a you problem.
    When the bell rings, I line up and I tell Jace, "See?" He kind of smirks.
    When school is over, I go up to Jace. I ask, "Why? Just why?" He seemed confused.
    Soon after, I walk home. I go up to my room, and I search up, "What if I don't like my friends?" And something comes up. I click on the link, and it gives a list of what I should do:
- First see if you're the problem and see if it only affects you.
- Look and see if someone else in the group has the same problem, maybe talk to them about it.
    I think about those, I don't know if someone else has the same problem as me. I know I don't belong with all these hyper-energetic kids. I know that.