My Story

Ever since I was really little I've been different. I didn't play with the other girls during recess. Instead I ate lunch in the library, not because I had lunch detention but because I wanted to read as much as I could. When we went outside during class, I longed to play basketball with the boys but I was too shy to ask if I could join and worried they'd think I was weird: the nerd who was into sports. I changed schools a lot because my parents didn't have much money and couldn't afford the house for long. When we were staying with my grandparents, I got my share of abuse. Sexual abuse from my uncle, mental, emotional, and physical abuse from my grandfather. All through middle and high school I struggled with trusting people. If someone even tapped me on the shoulder or accidentally brushed past me I'd flinch. I ended up having crushes on the guys who noticed and apologized even though it wasn't really their fault. I ended up avoiding anyone who thought it was funny and poked me again to see how many times I'd flinch. I jumped at loud noises. That was the main reason I hated floor hockey during gym class: the loud wacking noise, plus that I could get hurt.