I remember seeing him on the bus to one of our first big track meets. He sat in the back and someone mentioned how quiet he was. Although I was never the one to believe in the “shy” card. A few days later, he was at track practice and I was practicing the hurdles, so I decided to speak up. ”Hey, you’re pretty tall. Can I see you jump over the hurdles?” He gave me the craziest look, but told me he would do it, if I did the hurdle again.

So I told him if he did the count down for me, I would do them. Again I received a crazy look, but he spoke loud and clearly “on your mark, get set, GO”. I ran and jumped over the hurdles, then came back so I could watch him. He jumped over them as if he were simply walking, or just doing a very slight skip.
     

I just starred in envy. He had a great height and jumped over the hurdles so simply. Where I, only standing five-and-some-inches tall have been practicing for weeks, and I just make it over them. He simply smiled and told me to try again. It was like having my own little coach off to the sidelines. Even when the coaches told us practice was over and we could go inside to collect our items and get ready for the buses, he encouraged me to keep practicing for a couple minutes longer until I got a better height. After we collected our things and went outside, I told him “You are my new best friend.” He smirked, nodded his head then calmly said, “Okay.”
    

I proceeded to tell him we needed a handshake as well. I am more than positive we were there for about twenty minutes before we got it perfect. The buses pulled up, we used our new handshake and parted. I couldn’t help but think to myself “I know he must think I’m so weird.”
    

The following day was my track meet. It was my first meet doing the hurdles, and all I could think was “Oh my god, I’m so nervous.” Right before getting off the stand to go get ready to run my vent, my new best friend walked over to me, and said “Calm down, you got this, I’ll be watching,” “Wow Shakeela, you’ll really have someone in the stands watching you,” only thought in my head after that.
    

After the track meet was over, the whole team gathered in to the coach’s room to relax and chill. My best friend walked in and told me that he seen me run two out of four of my events, and that I did good. I noticed he went to the store, and when I mentioned it he didn’t hesitate to share. He gave me a still full bag of king size skittles, then half a stick of starbursts. We talked and I told him about the match I had the next day. He looked at me puzzled and said “You play tennis?” I told him yeah, and he replied “Bet, I’m coming.”
    

It was my first year at a completely new school after moving from my hometown and I had not made many friends. So I did not really believe him. I was proven wrong when I was on the courts warming up for my match, and I looked up to see my best friend by himself on the bench waiting for me to play. My own family hasn’t even seen me at track meet, or tennis match, but this kid I befriended just two days before has seen me practice, run, and now was about to watch me play tennis. It gave me so much confidence; I even won my match. When I was finished, he offered to play against me, I won of course, but more importantly I really had a friend.
    

A week later, I informed him about a chorus concert I dreaded having to go to. He asked if I sang well, I told him yeah. He starred at me for a while, then said “I’m coming.” I told him no, besides, he probably wasn’t going to have a ride home and then back to the school. So instead of going home he stayed with me at the school until my concert. That Night, I realized how lucky I had gotten. I had someone who encouraged me, believed in me, and wanting to watch me bloom into something great. I found my number one supporter. Today, he is still my best friend, and better yet, the best boyfriend any girl could ever ask for.