High school is supposed to be a time for friends and fun. Unfortunately some high school students end up getting mixed into things that will ultimately ruin all four years of high school. Many, like myself, end up in an abusive relationship that can feel as if you are a wild animal trapped from your freedom, unable to enjoy what you should be enjoying. You are blinded by the way they tell you they love you, and how they constantly buy you things and take you out, and you fail to see how you are actually being treated.

Many of these relationships seem to start out well and you are tricked into thinking everything is perfect, that nothing is wrong, and you somehow see a future with this person. You are so naïve that it takes you three years to realize what has been going on all along.

They have been treating you like a dog, demanding that you must do something. If you fail to do what they ask, you are the one who gets "punished". You are led to believe that everything is your fault and that there is nothing you can do about it. It starts out as verbal abuse but gradually increases to much worse. You will shrug it off your shoulders and tell yourself "it's just a phase", or "they aren't serious", or "they are just kidding." That's what they want you to think. They want you to think that that is just how their personality is or who they are. You will fall for it because you feel that there is no one in this world you cares about you and they are the only way out. That they are your only form of escape because you think they make you feel good about yourself.

They spend time with you, but they don't pay you attention. They fail to ask you feel good questions such as "how are you" or "how has your day been". Instead they just go on and on about what happened at practice the other day or who said what in a certain class. They might even go on about something you know they know you have no interest in. They won't ask you what you want to do, instead they tell you what you will do. And if you don't like it, oh well, because your opinion does not matter to them. They are self-centered and selfish. You will fail to see these by yourself.

You will always be wrong, because they are always right. No matter how much you try to explain whatever the conversation may be, they won't listen nd will tell you straight to your face, "you are never right" or "you have no idea what you're talking about." These verbal arguments will turn into something a bit more lowkey abusive.

They will try to make a joke about demanding you to do something and the first thing they will do is hold your hand or wrist very tight to a point that is no where near comfortable, but you can't say anything. If you say it hurts you are a "baby". They will tell you to "stop acting like a baby" or "grow up". If you were to stand up for yourself and ask for them to stop, the grip will only get tighter, so you will shut your mouth in order for them to let go because they say that you won't get something if you keep complaining. You will get trapped by material goods which blind you from the reality around you.

Eventually you start standing up for yourself, and here is where things turn even worse. You will disagree with something, they won't like it, they will keep threatening you, you don't back down, and next thing you know you are standing in the parking lot after the bell rings and you are pushing yourself away from them. Of course they are smaller than you so your self defense isn't up to par, but they eventually let you go because they know they can hurt you and people are watching whether or not either of you notice. You finally start to realize something needs to happen, but you don't know where to start, you just don't know what to do because you are trapped. You are scared of being hurt if you stay, but yet you are scared of being hurt when you leave. You truly and honestly feel trapped.

You notice that you are happier whenever they aren't around you and you begin to realize how much better off you are without them. Again, you have wasted three years of your life. It took one of your classmates to point out the fact that you aren't happy, and as time goes on, more and more people will tell you the same thing. Sometimes it takes other people to see things you have failed to see for yourself.

As the end of your senior year nears, you try to break things off, but still you are trapped and can't enjoy what you should. You end up having to wait until after you graduate. Its finally the week after and you agree to go and "talk things out" as you know it is the only way you will make it out alive. You agreed to talking over a game of tennis and finally get tiered of everything always being your fault, so you serve the ball to them, turn around, grab your keys, and drive away. As soon as you get home, you block everyway they could contact you. You are finally free at last.

Now that you are free, you can do whatever you want. Talk to whomever you want. Go anywhere you want. All without having the weight on your shoulders to report your every move. You can now enjoy the many wonderful things that are coming in your future without a worry in the world.

To any high school student, or anyone for that matter as the spectrum is broad, don't let any situation get this far no matter if this person is you or someone you know. Situations like this tear a person apart and pulls them under farther than the deepest part of the ocean. These things should always be taken seriously and never shrugged off your shoulder. Stand up for yourself. Stand up for others. If you feel there is nothing you can do, there are organizations you can call. Please do not become an innocent bystander. Keep your head up even when you feel you need to let it down. Don't let anyone dull a beautiful sparkle.