So my roommates and I have become very close friends, especially Darcy, Lauren and me. We have a friend, Brandon, and he used to hang out with us all the time. He would spend the night, and hang out, now he's gay so it was never awkward or anything like that. He didn't have a car, so Lauren or Darcy would drive him home, or go pick him up because he doesn't live on campus. We were always talking, and trying to help him out with the problems he had whenever we could. But one day after he had been weird for a few weeks he posts this note on facebook, basically ripping apart things that he thinks are insulting. He made it sound like this venting was about Lauren and Darcy. Lauren asked him who it was about, because there were no names mentioned, he answered everyone. So Darcy called him, and asked him why he would say this. He took this offensively, and demanded that she apologize. Lauren called to find out what the hell he was talking about, and he took that as offering a hand for explanation. During this entire thing I was sitting in their room talking to them, and offering my opinion on the situation. It turned out that the note wasn't about Lauren and Darcy, but rather Brandon's Grandmother and her boyfriend. But without telling Darcy and Lauren that they couldn't have known. Darcy and Brandon continued to be on the outs. It was getting closer to break, and Darcy had lent Brandon a sweatshirt that she now wanted back. He told her that it was common courtesy to wash it. So she went to go get it after he had supposedly washed it. When she and Lauren returned she called me immediately, I was just in my room so they popped in, and showed me the sweatshirt. It was black, but now covered in cat hair and dirt it looked grey. There were two holes in it now that looked like cigarettes had been dropped on it. And had he owned up to this, no he gave it to her in a black trash bag tied at the top. So this spawned an internet argument, and truly divided them. Brandon continued to attack Darcy and her integrity, while Lauren and I remained on her side. This has continued through break, and a few days ago Brandon Blogged on MySpace. It went on and on with lies about Darcy. I had stayed out of it, but now I just couldn't keep my mouth shut. I emailed him, telling him everything I've wanted to tell him for months. The next day he messaged me back, and it wasn't pretty. He went on about how I didn't know anything about the situation, and how it was none of my business. Then he hit me with a big hurt. He attacked my age, he told me that I wasn't as mature, and I didn't know all that they knew. He told me he was the same way at my age, and that I had no idea what he could do to me. He threatened to expose "all the guys" I've slept with and made out with. He attacked the very essence of me. Then he proceeded to tell me his account of all that had happened, followed by telling me to stay the "fuck" out of it. Though he did understand because I was just a kid. Now let me tell you what I got out of this. First of all apparently he doesn't think that my roommates actually talk to me, otherwise he would realize that I would know what was going on. Second, yeah I'm seventeen, but he was nothing like me when he was seventeen. He was in high school, and living with his grandmother. We have had completely different lives, and I'm more mature than he is at this point in his life. He expected me to just let him attack my friends, who have really become more like my family. To me standing up for not only myself, but for my friends makes me an adult. To me being able to take responsibility for what I do good or bad makes me an adult. He does none of this. Though I do have to say I was rather entertained by the fact het threatened me with the one boyfriend I've had this year, and expected me to be worried. He wouldn't get me in trouble; he would get him in trouble. Eh, like I said he doesn't understand much. I guess it's mostly just he doesn't understand girls or anyone who justifies standing up for others. Now all of us, Lauren, Darcy and I are freeing ourselves from him. He may be very upset, but he brought it upon himself. Publically attacking someone is horrible, just because you're angry doesn't mean you do that. If you do you need to take responsibility for your words, not overlook what you've done and say that fighting over the internet is stupid. I don't mean to attack, but this happens. If I wasn't a minor he would still find something to say, but being a minor gives him easier ammunition, and the ability to more easily attack me. Though I have to say, he's only two years older than me. So I really don't under stand the when I was your age. It's not like when you turn 18 a huge wind blows, and everything that's happened changes including the person you are. I think that it's just when you start college, or leave high school you stop worrying what others think of you, and you decide who you want to be, and what you want to do. I simply made that transition earlier than most. I am 17 and I am in college.

FEE