309 FRIENDSHIP

The school bell rang out loudly across the school hallway. In each of the classrooms, students dropped out in large numbers. One could see some young basketball players as they jogged along the hallway. Among the players was one with a bigger body structure; he was bouncing their basketball while they passed through the hallway. The sound of the ball on the floor gave off a rhythmic sound. Keisha was the last to walk out of her science classroom. She had stayed behind to clear her desk and set her things in order. She looked toward her right hand once she was out in the hallway. The direction in which her locker was located. She kept a straight face as she walked. The white students who had gathered in groups by the lockers made funny and mocking gestures toward her while she passed. At this point, Keisha wished the ground would open and swallow her whole. Finally, Keisha reached her locker. She waited a while, took a deep breath, and pulled out her key from her bag before finally