It was a cold morning and the moist air just touched my nose. All of the other kids scrambling around like little mice running for prey. Then there was me theres always that one extra tall kid that really stands out. At my old school everyone was as tall as baby giraffes but here it was different I was that one kid. DING DING DING I heard in the very back of my head pushed behind all the darkness, depression and tears that was all held up in one little bottle and there was a lock on that bottle for now.

Walking over to room 23 for social studies feeling all alone even though I was surrounded by hundreds of kids. I started feeling this way after I found out about the….. Mrs. Sutch called me and told me I was late and I had to explain to the whole class why. Everyone laughed, what a great first impression I thought when I went to sit down. The teacher had strawberry blonde hair and was about my height she looked about the age of my mom.

After the bell rang to go out to brunch I walked around hoping that no one was to notice me.
Hi a girl says in her sweet California voice, “I’m Aly”,
hi Im um I’m new.
“Yea I kinda figured.”
“ What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that you're walking around alone and looked kind of shy.”
“oh well i’m completely fine”
“Well okay but would you like to come to my house tomorrow”
‘Sorry I uh I’m busy.”
“ You know i was new last year I know how it feels to be all alone”
“Thanks, but I just want to be alone right now!”
“See you at lunch.” And there she goes of with her lacy black hair flying in the wind.



That day was a blur in my cramped deluded life. When I got home my grandma was already in the front in waiting for me to get home, she was holding a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. The next few days went by so fast. It was school and homework, Aly didn’t come talk to me again. Maybe I scared her away I thought. I spent those days sitting in the bathroom eating my lunch of a tuna salad. All the other kids laughing and gossiping at the lunch tables. I was surrounded by hundreds of kids but I still felt so alone.

The next day at school wasn’t half bad, I met this new kid. His name was Brady, we sit next to each other in math. It was perfect I thought I get to sit next to my first friend and in my favorite subject. He was tall and had hazel brown hair with bright blue eyes. We hung out a lot after school, and when I got home my grandma would always bug me about how my “date” was. I never thought of it as a “date” before. Just two friends hanging out.
It was winter now and the air was crisp and fresh. I saw Ally that day, she was with her little posse of friends they called themselves the “fab fives”, I thought that was stupid and so did Brady. They came up to me and said “hey, Ashley you could have been with us but instead your and nobody” I didn’t respond. I just thought how could Ally be that mean! She wasn’t that girl on the first day of school. I explained all of this to Brady but he didn’t understand, I didn’t think he would. I needed a girl bestfriend, I needed a friend I could tell all my drama to and since my moms not here now I couldn’t do that.
It was winter break and all the trees were covered with frost. Even though it didn’t snow usually in California it still got cold. Back in Pennsylvania it snowed almost every day in the winter. It was Christmas Eve and we didn’t have much presents under our brightly colored tree. I loved Christmas, it was my favorite holiday. In my old family we always had a way of opening presents, we would each get to open one and you would get to guess what it was if you guessed correctly then you would get to open a second present. If not then the next person would guess and so on so on. Now it was different since it was just both of us we just ate and opened. I couldn't wait to see Brady that day, we were going to meet up at the park and exchange gifts.

That night I saw Brady, he seemed happy to see me. That made me happy. We hung out for two hours and then we got to our presents. His was wrapped in a glossy yellow bow and reindeer paper. Mine was wrapped in santa wrapping with a pink blow. I knew Brady wanted a skateboard and the money I got from mom when she left us i could afford one. I didn’t know what I got, his box was bigger than mine so he insisted that I go first. I couldn’t believe what he got me, it was perfect I said. He gave me blanket that had the sign of the Sharks, how did he know that was my favorite team? We only talked about that once or twice. Now that he had my present in his hands and was tearing through the paper, “oh my god!!!” you got me the newest skate board! You knew I wanted this! This is the best gift ever!!
After we got back to school, Brady had moved away, we got only one last day to spend together. I was devastated. The next few weeks of school were really hard and I Had know one to go to. I missed my parents, after the car crash everything changed. And now there was no going back to that world. I had to restart my life, and be okay with that.