We weren’t exactly what you’d call friends. He was brutally honest and spoke his thoughts without hesitation or regret. He was hooked to popular culture and fascinated with social standing and all the obvious things that go along with highschool popularity. Even though he was undeniably hilarious, his unabashed taunting and shallow front did not agree with me – I simply couldn’t grasp how others were content to enjoy his biting words without fear that those same knives were being thrown at their own backs. I told myself that I’d like him better if I knew him more, that there was a deeper, kinder side to him I was just too blind to see, but honestly I couldn’t move past the intimidating face he presented.
