We had moved here 3 years ago from Tampere because my mom got relocated to Oulu due her work. I had always been kind of a loner at school,not having too many friends around so I wasn't overly happy to attending in new school where I knew nobody. On my second day here Joonas noticed me sitting alone at the school cafeteria and he came to me asking if I was the new girl. He sat down and after I got over my shyness, we ended up talking about some random stuff. He was a year younger than me but he told his best friend Joel was in my class. Soon he introduced me to the others and I kind of got my first groupof friends and pretty fast I got out from my shell and got much more confident than I was before.
But my relationship with mom got so difficult during the period my dad was fighting his life in the hospital because of the stroke. We were both worried as hell and shocked about the incident that somehow instead of being there for each others we went the total opposite. She suddenly started to control my life too much, not willing to let me spend time with the only people who actually were there for me or she wanted to know exactly where I was, what was I doing and with who. That caused me to run away for the evenings to who ever had time to hang out with me. Usually I spent time with Joel if he wasn't busy but he always managed to find some time for me, even just for 10 minutes if needed. But the situation was getting more and more difficult for me.
The stress from moving and the failure in dad's health was too much forme to deal. It just seemed to build up and I lost my appetite. Instead of consuming calories I started to burn them. I had no problem cycling 30km almost everyday and after two months of doing so, I noticed that I was getting in a pretty good shape. So what started as a sort of a stress relief was now an addiction. Without eating back all the calories I spent, the weight started to drop down faster and faster. Joel noticed that something was off and asked me about the situation. I told him what was going on and he seemed to be the only one who understood. The other guys got to know the situationas well and they all tried to be there for me, but Joel was there extra.
Even tho I had their support and they tried to help me to get over my situation, things got worse after my granny died. She was my favourite granny and also the only one I ever got to know because the other one had passed way before I was born. Also the fights with my mom got way worse than they already were. That triggered the cycling addiction again and it lasted to the point when Joel found me passed out in his living room when I was at his place one night. I was in a so bad shape that time that it could have been a close call if I had been just little bit lighter in weight. After that night he was there to make sure that I wouldn't kill myself with my doings. We had a long talk about everything and he convinced me to talk to the school psychologist because I didn't want to end up in the hospital either. 
Because my health wasn't the best, I was home schooled for few months so I could recover and gain some strength back. I wanted to recover so I did all the doctors and the psychologist told me to do. Joel came by every day to bring me homeworks and collected the done things. Even tho he wasn't necessarily the best student himself, he did his best to help me back on track. Without him I would have failed the whole class and more likely lost my life as well.
"Yeah she looks pretty tonight..." Joel started and looked at me.
"But the prettiest thing for me is to see you smile..always.. that's something you can't fake or buy or whatever.. " he added and it made me blush. Hearing him say things like that wasn't exactly new but it just got me weak from my knees every time. I had known him only for few years but we had became so good and close friends. His girls usually hated me but I didn't really care, not that I was goingto steal Joel from them. I just didn't know that things were gonna change tonight.
"God I still can't believe I did it... " I sighed and leaned against the wall behind us.
"And..it's pretty much all thanks to you.. I have no idea what I would have done without you Joel... you are literally the only one who has been there for me the whole time... The guys as well of course, but.. You especially... I mean.. You didn't have to you know... You offered so much of your time to me during the time.. " I said and looked the boy next to me.