I stood there awkwardly, moving every time somebody else moved. Going inside the museums and buildings at ArtPrize was something I wasn’t very fond of. With all the people crowding around small paintings and sculptures, my claustrophobia was at an all-time high.
 

Getting lost from a group of people I didn’t know well would be a disaster, I thought. It’s not that I was nervous, because I wasn’t, it’s just that… Why was I just standing there?

I was acting like I really didn’t want to be there, but I did. The fact that I was invited to go to one of my favorite events with people I barely knew was exciting for me.

Face it, Skylar, you’re just really awkward, I told myself. This was the first time I hung out with them, let alone the first time I met Sienna. Being instantly comfortable with somebody wasn’t a concept I was familiar with.

Now, the unpleasant feeling was replaced with enjoyment. The sun was slowly setting, making the sidewalk look golden brown. My feet ached from being on the move all afternoon.

“Wait, this lighting looks really cool,” Bella said. “Let’s take a picture.”

Bella was right; the lighting did look amazing. All of us had an interest in photography, so we all knew we had to take advantage of the scenery. The original picture idea was Bethann, Sienna, and I walking down the street. Then, I suggested we jump up and take the picture. Everyone agreed, and Bella got multiple shots. While looking at the pictures, laughter was in the air. Sienna and Bethann both went for the classic jump pose, but I decided to heel click because I thought we were going for that kind of look. After my embarrassing heel click, the four of us got the perfect picture together.

We were hiking towards our last stop: The Bob. The air had cooled down, as did the sky. It was close to dark now, stars faintly showing in the sky. Casual conversations about music and personal anecdotes were being shared throughout our small group. Somebody brought up when they all “found me.” The story was that the three of them started following me on Instagram and Twitter, but we never really talked until a month later when Bethann made a group message with all of us.

“I messaged you and you ignored me for a day,” Bella reminded us, and there was laughter.

“I was just scared because you all started following me and I was thinking, ‘Oh crap, the cool people have found me.’ Plus, you asked if I went to Kenowa so I was slightly offended,” I joked.

“I wish we found out about you sooner,” Sienna added. Everyone nodded in agreement. I especially agreed. My friend count was close to none, most of them not sharing any interests with me.

The lighting in The Bob was dim, and it was crowded with people. My previous fear of getting lost came back, but was soon washed away.

Although art was everywhere- well, obviously, it was ArtPrize, something else caught our attention: a notebook. I didn’t know if this was free to write on, or if it was somebody’s lost sketchbook. Either way, the four of us were going to write in it.

“#BuyWILDoniTunes,” Sienna wrote. WILD was an album by Troye Sivan; one of my favorite people of all time.
“#BuyBadlandsoniTunes and #PreorderSoundsGoodFeelsGoodoniTunes,” was what Bethann wrote. Halsey and 5 Seconds of Summer were artists that were new to me, but I really enjoyed their music.

I couldn’t believe that I was so shy at first because I felt so open. These are the kind of people you can share anything with. I wouldn’t realize until later that a smile had been on my face almost the whole time.

This event will change the upcoming years of school for me. Before this event happened, I was too scared to talk to the three of them. My anxiety has always made it hard for me to make new friends, which had shown when I moved to Kenowa in 6th grade. Bethann was the person who brought us all together. If she hadn’t created the group chat with Sienna, Bella, and me; I don’t know if I would’ve ever talked to them. And without talking to them, we never would’ve gone to ArtPrize, which is the event that brought me closer to them. Now, they are all my best friends who I can tell anything to. I thank all four of us, including myself, for allowing me to find three people who really understand me. You can’t let your comfort zone confine you; if you spend too much time in there, you’ll get more and more attached to the safe haven. It may be uncomfortable at first, but who knows? You might meet some really cool people.