The word “best” is defined as singular. The rule for this word often states that there can only be one best, but what is a rule if you can’t break it now and again?

An increasing number of friends at Shores are breaking the mold for “best” with their relationships with their friends.

For 11 sophomores, they are breaking the mold by not only having just one best friend, but 10.

This big group of “besties” includes Kenadi Carpender, Jared Karnitz, Julia Walsh, Meredith Smith, Jake Calson, Gage Veltman, Brooke Ledsworth, Trevor Boyd, Morgan Smith, and Corrine DeWitt.

“I knew the guys in the group when we were heading into sixth grade because of sports we played together, Karnitz said. “During sixth grade, I met the Smith twins through Trevor Boyd. Morgan and Meredith were friends with all of the other girls, and then we all met and clicked.”

The unique characteristics each friend brings to the group is what keeps things interesting and full of variety, unlike having just one point of view.

“I think it’s important to have more than one best friend,” Morgan Smith said. “We all have different thoughts and opinions to help one another, and it helps having more than just one solution to a problem. Also, I like having more than one best friend because there are then options to hang out with someone if one can’t.”

The group of best friends met because of their similar interests, and that continues to keep them close.

“We all get along so well because we all are alike with our sarcasm and athletics,” Meredith Smith said. “There is always something for us to talk or joke about.”

With this large group, tensions can get high, and it is human nature to disagree. This group does have their moments, but in the end, they realize how important their friendship is.

“We sometimes will to get into fights with each other,” Boyd said. “It’s mostly because of the girls not liking a boy or a boy not liking a girl, but after some time, we normally just forget about what were are fighting about and everything goes back to normal.”

Although these friends are in high school, they have high hopes that their friendships will continue into the future where they can continue redefining the term best friend.

“I am hopeful we will all continue to still be friends in the future,” Ledswoth said. “It will be a challenge because there are so many of us, but I’m almost positive that I will stay close with almost everyone. We’ve been through quite a lot over the years, and I can’t imagine all of my friends not being there.”