I sit with my back against the slick, grey wall and listen to the large group of kids standing next to mine. My friends are listening too. I can understand the horror in their eyes as a dark-haired boy tells his friends his weekend plans, the smell of smoke radiating off of his dirty T-shirt.

They talk of getting drunk and having fun. I attempt to talk to my friends so that we don’t have to listen, but his booming voice triumphs over my quiet, shy words. I surrender by bowing my head into my lap and try to inconspicuously cover my ears. I can still hear him.

As I raise my head, I notice one of my friends watching the boy with interest. They notice her too.

“Hey guys, why don’t we go find Holly?” I don’t want her listening to him anymore. I don’t want his words influencing her in anyway. I don’t want her to be reeled into their conversation. She’s been pulled into too many situations that I’ve had to rescue her.

I don’t understand peer pressure. I don’t get why it’s such a big deal or why people push it so hard. I know it’s a big problem, especially with teens my age. But honestly, it shouldn’t be.

I try my hardest not to give in to peer pressure. And I can usually stay away from any thing that could put me in a position like that. Although not everyone is so lucky.

How do you say no when you’re at the mercy of your friends? Is it really that easy to turn away or refuse when your reputation is at stake? It’s not as simple as they make it sound. You see the posters all over the place. Just say no. End of discussion. But it’s obviously not that effortless.

“Why not?” they ask. “Are you scared?”

Yes. I’m terrified. I wouldn’t say it, but my heart would be racing and my head, reeling. I’d be so afraid of just making the wrong choice that I’d almost be willing to do whatever I can get away with. The choice is either lose a friend or two…or take what they’re offering. I mean, what other option is there?

I pull myself up off the rough concrete and help my friends up. We walk away quickly and leave behind the images of the dirty, black haired boy and his group of friends terrorizing a neighborhood. My friend glances back at them and I make a mental note to never sit next to that group of kids again.