In middle school people asked you for gum or candy but in high school people ask if you have a lighter on you or a cigarette. There aren’t anymore little kid parties with kool aid and soda; those lil parties turn into kickbacks and full on house parties with beer and hard alcohol. You transition from riding bikes to driving cars and taking things past innocent kisses. Words have different meanings now and don’t mean the same thing like they did when you were young. Mom and dad are no longer your heroes because you’re learning more about other things and people who for whatever reason suddenly become your new heroes. You learn who your real enemies are and whom you can really trust and whom you can’t trust. You start to see the differences in people around you and suddenly you’re not friends because of color or money. In high school if you wear something different or crazy you’re suddenly known as the girl who “gives it all away” when really you don’t and just randomly chose that outfit because you looked cute not because you want to “give it all away.” Pain goes from tripping while playing jump rope to having your heart broken by the boy you thought you loved. Goodbyes have a totally different meaning when the word love is involved. Growing up isn’t what it’s cracked up to be and you realize that when you enter high school and you open your eyes to the differences around you. The innocence is gone and you can’t get it back.

* term papers∞