He joined a gang call 'boys from hell' and everything changed. He dye his hair gold, he tattooed his arms and even pierced his ears and lips. He usee to be obedient but now he is rebellious. He looked innocent and cute but now, he became a gangster, smokes and even do drugs! I advised him to be more careful about the people he mix around with. One day I was advising him about smoking, he did something that crushed my heart. "Go away lah Jonathan. You are so lame and outfit looks like shit, u are not fit to be my friend!'. My heart felt empty as if i had forgoten who he was. Tears trickled down my cheeks, images of the old days flashed in my mind. I know that it will be gone forever if i do not do something.

i went back home and made a beeline for my room, i slamed the doors and threw myself on to bed, I never felt so sad. The pain, it is like losing ur loved ones, it was unbearable i tried to hold back my tears but to no avail i started crying bitterly soon after. After a while a deep small voice echoed in my heart, "Jonathan you hav to be strong at this time. You cannot just let him be like this". I tried to fight it I just wan to forget this person I use to call friend. But my concience would not let me, it just would not let me see someone who is important to me destroy himself. Suddenly the phone rang it was dereck's mom "Derek was suspected to take drugs please stop him before he do more harm to himself and the ones around him, we......we...we......",suddenly she just cannot continue on and started crying. From that moment onwards I know that I must do something.

The next day, I mustered all my courage and went to him, "We nead to talk" I said. At first he ignored me, then i pulled his hand and brought him to a quieter place. "Dereck I know that you are not like this, deep down inside i know you are really the sweet old dereck that i know". I prayed that he would listen, but deep down inside I know he wold not. Out of the blue, Dereck push me down onto the floor. "You weakling you can just forget about the old days, and all the other crap. last time I was stupid, but now i would not walk the same path i did. So you can just dump the old days crap and crawl home, LOSER!!!!".

My heart shattered.

I felt the same old emtiness in my heart but the courage that friendship had given overpowered my thoughts. I mustered all my strengh and punched him in his face. He flew backwards and landed on a small grassy patch of land. "You idiot! do u know how much people want you to become back to ur own self, everybody can let you continue on and let u destroy ur life, but not me, i cannot do that, its impossible". with that i left him.

When i reached my house i just walk back to my room dazed. I could not help but think that Dereck will continue on. i felt weak that i could not stop my best friend from going towards a road of misery and torture, I felt..... helpless. i made a silent prayer and slowly drifted of to sleep. That night was torture, nightmares begun, about Dereck being caught by the police and sent to jail. In jail he was caned and he screamed in agony. When he was finally released, he tried to look for a job but not a single company accepted him. He finally found that life had no meaning and .........

My mom jolted my out of my sleep " honey you are sweating all over are you okay?"said my mom in a worried voice. "i am fine thanks for your concern mom". i was reliefed when woke up the next morning. When i went back to school dereck walked up to me suddenly i felt worried what will Dereck do to me, will he call his friends to beat me up, will he break my heart again, will he change? he said "thanks for beliving in me......pal". My heart felt light god had answered my prayers.

after a few weeks he transfered to another school. lthough we are no longer together but we still remained in contact, i will forever treasure this firend derek.