The Beginning

I was born at a very young age. I'm just kidding. This story starts a few years after that. 11, to be exact.

My dad got a new job, so we moved halfway across the country to a small town in the desert. That summer was unusually rainy, but for me any my siblings, it was normal. Ohio kinda ruins you a bit for the wonder that is water falling from the sky.

I started 6th grade after living in this new town for about 2 months. I knew no one. I had no friends. And I had no idea what was in store for me at middle school.

After the first tortuous weeks, I made a few friends. Kiley and Max became my "friend group." I adored Kiley. She was cool, and pretty, and smart, and oh so friendly. I looked up to her and was so happy when I was around her. I loved hearing her talk about books, and movies, and boys she liked, and the Max she liked. Max. Kiley liked Max.

Now Max, in 6th grade, was a class clown. He talked back to the teacher and was loud and funny. Lots of girls liked him. Including Kiley. And since I was a good friend, I did everything I could to help them get together. And they did! In 7th grade.

In 7th grade I didn't have any classes with Kiley or Max, so I didn't seek them out to talk to them. But Kiley came and talked to me. And asked me for help with her homework. So I explained it to her, but she shook her head and asked me to just do it for her. I refused. That's cheating. She looked annoyed and did it herself. Something broke that day, I think. I didn't realize it, but me sticking to my morals pushed her away.

I didn't specifically try to stay friends with Max because of reasons I still don't know or understand. So I was quiet around him and didn't talk to him the way I did before.

Kiley started talking to Max more. When she talked to me, it was about Max. I could never get a word in edgewise about myself. Not that I enjoy talking about myself, but sometimes you need to rant. I never could. But since I was a good friend, I let it slide.

I made new friends during that year. Journey and I bonded after she moved into my neighborhood. I had a few classes with her, and she was cool.

Middle school was a very traumatic time for me. I think I blocked out large portions of those 3 years, cause I can't remember them at all. Not the normal, you're getting older and so you forget your childhood forgetting. I think I just shut things out of my brain so I wouldn't have to think about them anymore.

Because of this, I don't remember where this memory fits into the story line, but it is still so vivid. I was in a assembly in the huge gym. I was sitting by Journey and I was doing her hair. For some reason, I was mad at Kiley that day. Now, I don't normally get mad, so that's an oddity by itself. I saw Kiley across the gym and she caught my eye and motioned me over towards the hallway by the gym. I walked out flanked by Journey, and Kiley walked towards me with Max at her heels. It was like a scene from a movie, where the good guys walk towards the bad guys in slow motion. After that, my memory is blank. I don't remember why, but I walked away feeling bad about what I said. I went home and felt so bad that I called Kiley and said sorry. She said it was all okay and our friendship was fine again.

I wish I could remember why I was mad at her, or what I said. I bet it would be interesting. I could just make it up, but this is autobiographical, not "based on a true story." And it's my story. And it's about to get messy. Just you wait.