Direct Dialogue with subtext (Journal #7

English dialogue

Setting: Peter Couch is looking down out the window of bosses office,. The morning rush hour is in full bloom. His boss is sitting down. He looks down takes a deep breath.

P: “I cant do this Eric, I cant”

Points to documents on desk.

P:“I worked so hard on them and now I got to got to do it again!Eric, even you, know that those documents couldn't be one hundred percent complete.”

E:“Which is why ,we don't aim for perfection at this company. We aim for accuracy with these documents. Look at this!”

Eric reaches for the folder of documents that sits before him and inspects them. There filed with Red ink that says. CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS ON THE INVESTIGATION OF BEAR STERNS IN CONJUCTION WITH THE UNITED STATES BURREA OF BUISNESS AND SECURITIES FRUAD.

E:“What do you think the feds are gonna say, when they read this?”

He pulls out a sheet from the stack and reads it out loud.

E:“I HAVE FOUND NO DOCUMENTS THAT INQUISITE A TRAIL OF THIS MAGNITUDE..The feds will weed this stuff out. Like it was candy. You got to out think the feds kid! You got to do it. You got to go out there, and make it happen. Make it happened kid!”

Peter leaves the room and a short time later comes back and hands the folder back to Eric who is glaring outside the window.

E: “look at all those people down bellow. They're all follow the rules. Yet what does it get them? A tap on the shoulder. ( emphasize sarcastic tone)Good job dogy, good job. When not one of them made a difference in this world. (Looks down at paper) Well here's your tap on the shoulder. For all the work you do.”

Eric walks to the couch in his office. Pulls out a cigar, throws the folder and starts to smoke.

P:“Did you really have to that sir? You couldn't place the folder?”

E: (Speaks between puffs) “Kid after 30 years on this job. You either hit a point, where you choose to take or leave it. Now since you recognized the action.(Puff) You can pick up the papers.”

Peter tries to pick up the folder. But it slowly rips apart.

P: “You know Eric,you got to get an new folder.”

E: “Why change something that works?”

P: “Because some things in life, are worth caring for. Like friendships and dignity..”

E: “Son, nothing in life. (Puff) Works to its fullest, so why start caring for things that don't work?. I mean look at you kid. I asked you to create one good copy for me. It took you three tries to get it right. (Puff) But we aim for the fullest, and if were lucky. Well grab a star and preserve that.”

A phone in Eric's pants rings. He looks at it. Its a text message that says. The BSF agents are downstairs. What should we do?

E:“Call in the Calvary kid. Kid would you go downstairs for me,and give the folder to the agents. Also, here's the keys. After you see the agents. Would you stop by and pick up Jack for. Me? He wi;; recognize you.Just drop him off at his soccer match for me, would you? I need a break.”

P:“Actually, Eric today's Elizabeth’s graduation from Pr-k.I was gonna take her out to get some ice cream.”

E:“OK, thanks kid. Just make sure to tell Jack. His father is thinking of him.”

Peter grabs his coat and slowly walks out. When Eric see's this. He scolds him

E:“Peter what are ya slow? Leave already. In my fathers time ,an employee like you wouldn’t linger long. If they had a boss who wanted something, and here.”

He throws him the folder

E:“Take it or leave it? It might be the only thing worth keeping or leaving.”

Peter walks out slowly saying the words in a quite tone.

P: “Wouldn't linger long.Wouldn't linger long.”

He pulls into his car and heads down the highway into interstate one..Pulls up at a stop, and after doing a few stops and goes. Makes a stop to pick up his daughter. His daughter runs to her dad who is sitting on the chairs in the waiting room.

P.D: “Daddy, I thought u would never come.”

She smiles and than points to an object in the garbage.

P:D” Daddy, whats that in the garbage?”

Stalker Journal

Character Profile Worksheet

Basic Statistics

Name: Peter Couch
Age: 37
Nationality: American/Caucasian
Socioeconomic Level as a child: middle class
Socioeconomic Level as an adult: Upper middleclass
Hometown: Benson, New York
Current Residence: New York
Occupation: auditor for a Wall street firm
Income:
Talents/Skills:
Salary:
Birth order:1973
Siblings (describe relationship): A brother Ted.
Spouse (describe relationship): Sarah, she’s a teacher. She met her husband while in college and
had ironically been a neighbor of his. Sarah loves her husband but sometimes longs for just a little
more.
Children (describe relationship):
Grandparents (describe relationship):Note at the moment
Grandchildren (describe relationship):Not at the moment
Significant Others (describe relationship): Sarah his wife, He loves his wife. But sometimes he
feels as
Relationship skills: Married

Physical Characteristics:

Height: 6;2
Weight: 160
Race: American
Eye Color: Dark brown
Hair Color: Dark brown
Glasses or contact lenses? Glasses
Skin color: White
Shape of Face: Square, shaped manly face
Distinguishing features: Square face, with sharp dark eyes, He’s built in relative proportion to how
he looks.
How does he/she dress? Large beige over coat, Pin striped black suit with matching tie and white
shirt.
Mannerisms: Quite, keeps to himself and his friends. He respects everyone equally as long as
they don’t ask for anything to extreme.
Habits: (smoking, drinking etc.)
Health: He works out when he can, however like many men his age. His frame seems to fit his
Hobbies: He spends much of his time outside doing household duties but when he gets away. He
like to drive his old 98 mustang down the High way with the top down and just feel the air in his
hair.

Favorite Sayings: Never sweat, just smile.
Speech patterns: Northern New Yorker accent.
Disabilities: uses glasses but it seems to be equally fine without.
Style (Elegant, shabby etc.): A sartorialist
Greatest flaw: He cant relate to his wifes family
Best quality: He’s logical and a sartorialist

Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes

Educational Background: Dartmouth college
Intelligence Level: Average but hey he went to Dartmouth so he knows his stuff
Any Mental Illnesses? No
Learning Experiences:
Character's short-term goals in life: Get the roof to stop leaking and find a way to get to the
traveling agency.
Character's long-term goals in life: To one day retire, Find a way to find something more
interesting in life, Have kids with his wife maybe in a few more years.
How does Character see himself/herself? He’s an adult. He’s aging and he knows it. But he just
wants to enjoy a few more years
How does Character believe he/she is perceived by others? He doesn’t seem to notice that he is
perceived. He keeps his head low but knows that he probably is seen as a business man.
How self-confident is the character? He’s confident.
Does the character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof?
What would most embarass this character? He’s more logic than reason, but he knows when to
use both, Emotion is something Sarah handles he just does the logic.

Emotional Characteristics

Strengths/Weaknesses:
Introvert or Extrovert? Introvert
How does the character deal with anger? He takes the car out for a ride or runs to the office
With sadness? He doesn’t cry much. Maybe its because he forgot how to cry. Its easier not to.
With conflict? Conflict can divide him, but logic before conflict always
With change? I feel as though he is discovering what change is.
With loss? He hides it. He prefers to deal with in silence than smile at pain.
What does the character want out of life? He wants change from his old routine
What would the character like to change in his/her life? Haha his wife, naaah maybe his house or
dog,
What motivates this character? His job
What frightens this character? The economy
What makes this character happy? A fishing trip to his favorite point out along lake George
Is the character judgmental of others? Yeah but he prefers not to say it. He judges people in his
head.
Is the character generous or stingy? Generous
Is the character generally polite or rude? Polite

Spiritual Characteristics

Does the character believe in God? Yeah well sort of. His wife’s parents were Methodist and
when they lived next door they use to go to church together. When they moved some were else
though, he and his wife stopped going. Sometimes he and his wife go to church. Which is three
times in a month.
What are the character's spiritual beliefs? His parents where religious and took him to church but
when he went to college it was just a thing he stopped following. He believes in god, but cares
little to belong to any mainstream religion.
Is religion or spirituality a part of this character's life? Not really thought occasionally he does
donate money to a church charity.
If so, what role does it play? It’s a secondary role to him.

What does this character want?? Need? Wish? Hope? He’s at the point in his life, when him
and Sarah are almost at there 40s. He wants to change his life, but he doesn’t see much of a
reason why he should if not much has changed about him. His muscles are getting stiff and
he’s not the young man he use to be. But he wants more and he knows Sarah deserves better.
So he’s trying to find a way to change that. He wished he could be rich but he won’t be. So he
works for the feds. He wishes he could leave this job but he can’t. He hopes for something new to
happen in his life.

Journal #4b (6-sentence memoir

Journal 5 Six sentence fiction
They were both nervous.It was there first time doing this. Everyone said "it would be scary on there first try." He took a deep breath and asked her. "Are you ready ?" As they entered the quick spinning roller coaster.

Journal #5 (6-word fiction)

Journal five, Six sentence fiction

Capturing the world threw my lens.

Journal #4a (6-word fiction

6 word fiction

Never forget the thirteen in thirty,

In media res

"Only you know how to be an idiot. So as to get our airplane tickets mixed up, and have us land in the Netherlands." Screamed Johnny to his brother Josh. Josh stood dumb founded as he held his map of Paris in utter disbelief. "We were suppost to land in Paris" said Josh to himself. But in his competative quest to be a dominate older brother said. "Shut up." It was just him and his brother in the airport. They had come off a red eye and were stuck with no where to go. They had managed to get themselvs lost in the biggest snow storm to ever hit the country. It sucked and so he looked at his brother. He wanted to cry and tear but he held up. He took out his phone and after dailing a few numbers. Got to the number he wanted. "Ummm Hi mom and dad. Yeah were lost and were about half a hundred miles away from home."

final draft of journal entry 2

      The rise and fall of a girl who just wanted to fit in
       Maybe it was stupidity on my part. Or maybe it was female intuition gone wrong.That I should have know that the town of Smallwood, North Carolina. Wasn't large enough or nice enough for this gal to be part of. I should have know better to think that I could be part of something I wasn't. But I guess that is life for you. Live and learn. Which in my case was about living and learning.
       You see I hate change. So when I went from the bustling atmosphere of city life to the quietness of moving to a new town where I knew no one .It hated it. I mean here I was. I wasn't just the new girl in a school and town where every girl was white,blond and beautiful. I was the only fifteen year old girl who was 5'6.Who on a good day weighed 110 and looked as though she just survived a major famine. I was a canvas full of scars. (Which came from a childhood well spent climbing trees.) My elbows bore the load of my scares.These scars were small marks on a canvas. That was half Indian half American. I had jet black hair. I which I didn’t like almost the way I didn't like my first day of school.
       When I first arrived in school. I felt as thought I had just landed on another planet. The school was huge with large corridors and hundreds of students all just crowding into the small door ways which lead into the school.I pulled out my schedule and got lost in the crowd. It couldn't find my classroom numbers so as you probably figured. I got lost many times.I ended up asking students who were walking beside me for help. which they in return would point me the right direction . I did this a series of times. Before finding a way to memorize the numbers by heart. I received the back seats in most of classes because of this mix up. I hated doing the walk to the back seat. It was embarrassing as I walked past row to row of students. As you watched as some students read into there book. While other student’s seemed to turn around because you were the only girl who wore a skirt to school.  I than sat and did everything by myself. Until I met Abby.

The best way to describe Abby Page. Was one she was the head of a clique that had ignored since I first got to school. And she didn't care for me and I for her. One day after my chemistry class she came up to me and started speaking to me. I was shocked and convinced she wanted something. "What do you want Abby"? I called out to her as I walked to my locker “Nothing. All I wanted to say is hi.” I responded hesitantly back. "Hi". And walked away. I couldn’t shake this girl. She kept on talking to me. Till I gave her number and said. "Call me at my house. I’ll be open to talk than." When I got home the first person to call me was Abby. She talked about what it felt like to be popular and attractive and how she couldn’t decide if she would go shopping or not. I pretended to care. But I didn’t. She kept up this way. "Until I asked what do you want Abby"? She than mentioned she noticed that I sat alone and that maybe I wanted to I could sit with her. I agreed to it and by the next lunch period. I was sitting at her table. Her friends were nice and we have fun doing you know what girls do. Playing with boy’s heads, running around class, swapping homework. O it was fun. When I got home Abby called again and this time after being more open to her let her into my life. It was fun and since I had started a friendship with her in school. I drew down the protective shield I had and let her into my world.  

Abby lived next door to me and was constantly talking to boys.She looked like a teenage Barbie doll. If they’re ever was one in her soft wavy daisy yellow hair and fair skin. Freckles peppered her face in an almost abstract kind of beauty. Her legs were arms were curvy, which gave her an almost seductive kind of appeal. There was no question she was every males teenage dream of both the dipsy and atractive blond. I wasn’t surprise to watch. As she talked to some boy. Who had blue eyes and a cute smile .He gave her a piece of paper and she giggled and walked right back into her house. After which I didn’t see her till 10 pm at night. I had been reading Jane Austin on the top of a tree branch that I loved to sit on.She climbed to me and talked about the boy and than said I'm going to get you a boy friend. I was shocked but I ignored her as She babled on about her plan to get me a boyfriend.

The next day in school. Abby introduced me to her friend Emma. Emma was a brunette and was a lot more heavier than me. she was also quite tall standing a good 5'9. She came from a rought part of Smallwood where crime high. Yet that didnt make her mean. She was nice and I got along quite well with her. True to her word. Abby found me a boyfriend named  Jason. Jason had brown eyes and soft light velvet hair. He was tall and muscular. Yet weak for my touch .

I spent a lot of time which Jason and little with Abby. Abby wasn’t use to not receiving attention. I think it bothered her. She felt that somehow I had betrayed her and her clique which rarely now hung out with me. I explained to her how I was sorry. But Abby didnt care. She wanted things her way. She said "She no longer cared for me and to leave her alone." So I opted to instead talk to Emma and stop talking to Abby. Emma and I got close and soon Emma started even to invite me to her table for lunch. I enjoyed eating with Emma. Except that she  treated people mean.She always had a word to stay about somebody. And I wondered if maybe since she talked about other she might also talk about me. I also wondered about Abby. Abby had a reputation for finding oportunities to get back at girl she didnt care for. 

Her oportunity to get back at me came in the form of  a vicious rumor that I was playing games with Jason. She knew Jason wouldn’t take such news it easily. So she approached me while I was walking to school. With her horns out and said. "This is over you either pick him or me." I said "him" and she said. "Suit yourself you'll pay for that."And threw a few punches at me. She apparently wasn’t smart because she punched me in front of a police station. The police saw what was happening and came out batons in there hands. “Let her go” called out cop. But it was too late. Emotionally I was dead. The cops let me into the station and I sobbed my tears away. A few weeks later I would fine myself in the final fight that would end anger for this popular group of girls and finally let me redeem myself.

It was during my last weeks of school that I would experience the conflict that would finally end my friendship with Abby's clique. I hadn’t been talking to Emma in a while. I had defended a friend of whom Emma thought was stupid. I took my friend in my arms and said don’t worry. But this clearly had crossed the line with Emma. To her this was worste than saying I wasnt her friend.She sought to take me down and figured that with Abby already mad. She would do a real take down. So they planed it out.

As I walked home from I didn’t realize that Emma and Abby would come at me till while walking on the road home to school. A car passed me. Hey loser called one of the girls from school you like starting things with people don’t you. I looked at the car a 4 by 4 jeep. Where Abby and Emma were. They had eggs in there hands and within a few minutes had engulfed me in eggs. Fear quickly emerged and I pulled up a fight. But my fight was over and I was done fighting. I gave in to the wound and like frost bite to skin. I let my physical wounds take the death of my old skin, my old life .It hurt a lot and as I saw the passengers in the car laugh at me. I felt even worst. The car slowed down and when I did. Emma pulled out her fist and black eye. I was in excruciating pain. The blow knocked me out and I felt down to the floor. They stopped the car and I blanked out. A local car that had scene what was happening pulled out and the man inside pulled me out. He held his fist in the air and said if you hit her again. I will knock you all out. After which he pulled me and said this is not how you want to start your high school carrier. He took my hand and I sat in his car. He let me cry on his sleeve as I placed together the pieces of my life.

             Four years have gone by since I was last in high school. I am graduateding today and I cant wait. I walked down the stairs of the school when the graduation was over  to my mom who was holding congratulation’s sign. Shes aged a lot.Which is no thanks to pain I put her through as a teen. The stressed had aged her. Yet as I left I couldn’t help but feel proud. We had made it and nothing would ever change our memories I had. I entered the car and hit the road home. This time with no one out to hurt me. I told myself as the bright future of a sunset setting over my face on the car ride home spirinkled my eyes and future.

1st draft of journal entry 2

I was your average girl. I lived in a small house outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. In a small town called Smallwood .That stood at about five miles northeast outside of charlotte. Smallwood was a quiet little town with the exception of the local Wal-Mart. Not much business seemed to take place there. It was a major change from the bustling atmosphere of city life that I been use to. I resented having to move and I resented even more going to a new school. I mean here I was. In a new town where I knew no one .It was a stressful feeling. To further add to the stress. I was the new girl in a school were all the girls seemed to be alike. They were white, blond and beautiful .While I on the other hand was the combination of a suburban white father and an East Indian mother. Making me the small time mix of both words .

School would change me. I believed I would be better; I wouldn’t follow the popular crowd. But by mid October things had changed. It was a subtle change. That occurred slowly in me. My mother seemed to be the first to notice. Starting first with the way I walked home. She said I walked like a flirt and I said get a mirror. I wasn’t in the mood to fight that day. So I walked over to my room and glanced out my window. We’re outside along my fence stood Abby Page. In her boot cut jeans and halter-top . I wasn’t surprise to watch as she talked to some boy. Who had blue eyes and a cute smile .He gave her a piece of paper and she giggled and walked right back into her house. After which I didn’t see her till 10 pm at night. I had been reading Jane Austin on the top of the roof. When she appeared on the roof to talk to me .She walked over to me and asked about how long I had been here and what school I attended. She even was surprised to know that we were in the same to which she than placed her arm around my shoulder and said. I’m going to help you become someone.

She was right. When I first entered that school .I was the girl who got lost in the hallways and now I felt as thought I owned these hallways. By the beginning of November I had been introduced to all of Abby’s friends including a girl named Emma. Emma like me didn’t quite fit in either. She was a brunette and carried a lot more weight than all of us. She came from Pittsburg. Which wasn’t as far away from New York as all these other girls were from? To me she was as much of a real New Yorker as I. I took comfort in that. This came in handy when Abby and I had our first fight. It was over a boy named Jason. Jason and I had been dating for a solid month. Which had in the time of a month made me happier .Jason went to a school about seven blocks north of my high school. He had brown eyes and soft light velvet hair. He was tall and muscular. Yet weak for my touch .When she and I first met. I had been with Abby at the library carrying in the books. When Abby bumped into Jason .He had a latte in his hand .Which ended up with his spilling all over his white crew neck t-shirt. He was real nice about it. He spoke to Abby who from the look of the way she batted her eyes was interested in Jason. To her surprise Jason asked about me instead. He gave me his number and called days latter. It was during my soccer class practice with Abby .Which didn’t fly well with Abby. Abby wasn’t use to not receiving attention. I think she believed that she was the one that got me were I stood. I stopped talking to her. She didn’t seem to mind either. When she would pass me at lunchtime .She would say are you done with this hissy fit, so you could pay me what you owe to me. Since Abby had been a friend to me I opted to instead talk to Emma. Emma and I got close and soon Emma started even to invite me to her table for lunch. It was during those times while sitting at Emma’s table that I came to realize how Emma treated people. She always had a word to stay. And I wondered if in the middle of going from a regular girl to a popular girl that the days of my reign as a popular girl would come to an end. The days were marked. Especially after a vicious rumor hit the ears of Abby that I was playing games with Jason. Jason I new wouldn’t take it easily. So I sought to defend my title. After doing her research Abby was ready to attack. She approached while I was on my roof and approached me. Her horns ready she looked at me and said. This is over you either pick him or me. I said him and with the tern a few words I was on Abby Page’s dead list. It therefore wasn’t a surprise when while walking to school Abby tried to beat me up. She apparently wasn’t smart because she tried to punch me in front of a police station. The police saw what was happening and came out batons in there hands.

It was during my walk to school that I would experience my last conflict and finally end my guilt. I hadn’t been talking to Emma in a while. I had defended a friend of whom Emma thought was stupid. I took my friend in my arms and said don’t worry. But this clearly had crossed the line with Emma. She sought to take me down and figured that with Abby already mad she would do a real take down. As I walked home from I didn’t realize how that they would get me till while walking on the road home to school. A car passed me. Hey loser called one of the girls from school you like starting things with people don’t you. I looked at the car a 4 by 4 jeep. Where Abby and Emma were. They had eggs in there hands and within a few minutes had engulfed me in eggs .The car slowed down and when I did. Emma pulled out her fist and black eye. I was in excruciating pain. The blow knocked me out and I felt down to the floor. They stopped the car and I blanked out.

I grabbed my books and looked down the hallway. My days here were done. It’s not as empty as I remember it. But than again had changed since I first entered this place. I walked down the stairs to my mom who was holding congratulation’s sign. She had aged a lot. I put her through a lot and the stressed had aged her. Yet as I left I couldn’t help but feel proud. We had made it and nothing would ever change our memories that we had made it. I entered the car and hit the road home. This time with no one out to hurt me but the bright future of a sunset setting over my house.

second draft of journal number 2

I was your average girl. I lived in a small house outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. In a small town called Smallwood .That stood at about five miles northeast outside of charlotte. Smallwood was a quiet little town with the exception of the local Wal-Mart. Not much business seemed to take place there. It was a major change from the bustling atmosphere of city life that I been use to. I resented having to move and I resented even more going to a new school. I mean here I was. In a new town where I knew no one .It was a stressful feeling.

To further add to the stress. I was the new girl in a school were all the girls seemed to be alike. They were white, blond and beautiful .While I on the other hand was the combination of a suburban white father and an East Indian mother. Making me the small time mix of both words .In a time in my life, when I didn’t want to be different .I just wanted to feel and look normal like everyone else. I mean I would look at myself in the bathroom mirror everyday before class started. And all I would see is a 5’6 fifteen year old girl .Who on a good day weighed 110 and looked as though she just survived a major famine. It was a scary sight and it looked even worst when I took off my shirt. I was a canvas full of scars. (Which came from a childhood well spent climbing trees.) My elbows bore the load of my scares. With just a small scar being above my belly button .It was small scar among an even larger canvas of white that made contributed to this canvas of colors. I looked white but India would find its way in me and it did along the jet black color of my hair. I didn’t like my hair color. But there was nothing I would do. Until I reached that point in my life like all teenagers do .When I started to change this canvas.            And when I did world forever change.

When I first got to school I thought it would never end. I woke up that day and after going over what I would wear. Settled on a red tang top and blue skirt .I hated this style but it was the middle of August and it was blistering hot. No one to my knowledge walked to school in that kind of heat. But I didn’t know that. So I walked it to school. The heat killed the walk. Every step I took felt as though maybe 10 other steps were pushing me behind. By the time I arrived to school. I felt as though I had just crossed the desert. I felt sweaty and dirty but apparently didn’t give that impression to a few boys who seemed to be lobbying around the front of the school. They called out hey beautiful sit right hear. They were obviously losers. After calling out to me they called out to a group of other girls who were walking together. It seemed as though they were in there own little world. This didn’t surprise me. I pulled out my schedule and got lost in the crowd. It was hard finding my classroom numbers and when I would get lost I would ask someone who would than point me the right way. This process took place a series of times before I found a way to memorize the numbers by heart. I got the back seats in most of classes because of this mix up. I hated doing the walk to the back seat. It was embarrassing as you walked past row to row of students. As you watched as some students read into there book. While other student’s seemed to turn around because you were the only girl who wore a skirt to school. The school was filled with students. Yet why did I than sit by myself. I couldn’t bear not knowing anyone and when school was over I would walk home by myself. Until that is I met Abby.

Abby Page was part of the clique that had ignored since I first got to school. She had narrowly bumped into me in school and always seemed to point at me. One day after my chemistry class she came up to me and started speaking to me. I was shocked and convinced she wanted something. What do you want Abby I called out to her as I walked to my locker? “Nothing your so stuff. All I wanted to say hi.” I responded hesitantly back Hi and than walked away I couldn’t shake this girl. She kept on talking to me. Till I gave her number and said call me at my house. I’ll be open to talk than. When I got home the first person to call me was Abby. She talked about what it felt like to be popular and attractive and how she couldn’t decide if she would go shopping or not. I pretended to care. But I didn’t. She kept up this way. Until I asked what do you want Abby. She than mentioned that she noticed that I sat alone and that maybe if I wanted to I could sit with her. I agreed to it and by the next lunch period. I was sitting at her table. Her friends were nice and we have fun doing you know what girls do. Playing with boy’s heads, running around class, swapping homework. O it was fun. When I got home Abby called again and this time after being more open to her let her into my life. It was fun and since I had started a friendship with her in school. I drew down the protective shield I had and let her into my world. Which when the changes in me started happening.    

School would change me. I believed I would be better; I wouldn’t follow the popular crowd. But by mid October things had changed. It was a subtle change. That occurred slowly in me. My mother seemed to be the first to notice. Starting first with the way I walked home. She said I walked like a flirt and I said get a mirror. I wasn’t in the mood to fight that day. So I walked over to my room and glanced out my window. We’re outside along my fence stood Abby Page. In her boot cut jeans and halter-top .She looked like a teenage Barbie doll. If they’re ever was one in her soft wavy daisy yellow hair and fair skin. Freckles peppered her face in an almost abstract kind of beauty. Her legs were arms were curvy, which gave her an almost seductive kind of appeal. When she would place her hands on her hips and her chest would gallantly pop out. There was no question she was every males teenage dream. But she was also quite ditsy at times when she was around boys. She would play the innocent Juliet who just wanted love. Except that she played this line with over and over with millions of Romeos. So I wasn’t surprise to watch as she talked to some boy. Who had blue eyes and a cute smile .He gave her a piece of paper and she giggled and walked right back into her house. After which I didn’t see her till 10 pm at night. I had been reading Jane Austin on the top of the roof. When she appeared on the roof to talk to me .She walked over to me and asked about how long I had been here and what school I attended. She even was surprised to know that we were in the same to which she than placed her arm around my shoulder and said. I’m going to help you become someone.

She was right. When I first entered that school .I was the girl who got lost in the hallways and now I felt as thought I owned these hallways. By the beginning of November I had been introduced to all of Abby’s friends including a girl named Emma. Emma like me didn’t quite fit in either. She was a brunette and carried a lot more weight than all of us. Along with that she was quite tall for a girl and with the weight on she looked a little fat. She was also the only one from among us who was a minority. She came from Pittsburg. Which wasn’t as far away from New York as all these other girls were from? To me she was as much of a real New Yorker as I. I took comfort in that. This came in handy when Abby and I had our first fight. It was over a boy named Jason. Jason and I had been dating for a solid month. Which had in the time of a month made me happier .Jason went to a school about seven blocks north of my high school. He had brown eyes and soft light velvet hair. He was tall and muscular. Yet weak for my touch .When she and I first met. I had been with Abby at the library carrying in the books. When Abby bumped into Jason .He had a latte in his hand .Which ended up with his spilling all over his white crew neck t-shirt. He was real nice about it. He spoke to Abby who from the look of the way she batted her eyes was interested in Jason. To her surprise Jason asked about me instead. He gave me his number and called days latter. It was during my soccer class practice with Abby .Which didn’t fly well with Abby. Abby wasn’t use to not receiving attention. I think she believed that she was the one that got me were I stood. A few times we even joked about it. But as the school year go on. I started to notice that Abby really felt that. She would walk with me to the store and say can I borrow a dollar. You owe me for where you are. I didn’t like this so I stopped talking to her. She didn’t seem to mind either. When she would pass me at lunchtime .She would say are you done with this hissy fit, so you could pay me what you owe to me. Since Abby had been a friend to me I opted to instead talk to Emma. Emma and I got close and soon Emma started even to invite me to her table for lunch. It was during those times while sitting at Emma’s table that I came to realize how Emma treated people. She always had a word to stay. And I wondered if in the middle of going from a regular girl to a popular girl that the days of my reign as a popular girl would come to an end. The days were marked. Especially after a vicious rumor hit the ears of Abby that I was playing games with Jason. Jason I new wouldn’t take it easily. So I sought to defend my title. After doing her research Abby was ready to attack. She approached while I was on my roof and approached me. Her horns ready she looked at me and said. This is over you either pick him or me. I said him and with the tern a few words I was on Abby Page’s dead list. It therefore wasn’t a surprise when while walking to school Abby tried to beat me up. She apparently wasn’t smart because she tried to punch me in front of a police station. The police saw what was happening and came out batons in there hands. “Let her go” called out cop. But it was too late. Emotionally I was dead. The cops let me into the station and I sobbed my tears away. A few weeks later I would fine myself in the final fight that would end anger for this popular group of girls and finally let me redeem myself.

It was during my walk to school that I would experience my last conflict and finally end my guilt. I hadn’t been talking to Emma in a while. I had defended a friend of whom Emma thought was stupid. I took my friend in my arms and said don’t worry. But this clearly had crossed the line with Emma. She sought to take me down and figured that with Abby already mad she would do a real take down. As I walked home from I didn’t realize how that they would get me till while walking on the road home to school. A car passed me. Hey loser called one of the girls from school you like starting things with people don’t you. I looked at the car a 4 by 4 jeep. Where Abby and Emma were. They had eggs in there hands and within a few minutes had engulfed me in eggs. Fear quickly emerged and I pulled up a fight. But my fight was over and I was done fighting. I gave in to the wound and like frost bite to skin. I let my physical wounds take the death of my old skin, my old life .It hurt a lot and as I saw the passengers in the car laugh at me. I felt even worst. The car slowed down and when I did. Emma pulled out her fist and black eye. I was in excruciating pain. The blow knocked me out and I felt down to the floor. They stopped the car and I blanked out. A local car that had scene what was happening pulled out and the man inside pulled me out. He held his fist in the air and said if you hit her again. I will knock you all out. After which he pulled me and said this is not how you want to start your high school carrier. He took my hand and I sat in his car. He let me cry on his sleeve as I placed together the pieces of my life.

I grabbed my books and looked down the hallway. My days here were done. It’s not as empty as I remember it. But than again had changed since I first entered this place. I walked down the stairs to my mom who was holding congratulation’s sign. She had aged a lot. I put her through a lot and the stressed had aged her. Yet as I left I couldn’t help but feel proud. We had made it and nothing would ever change our memories that we had made it. I entered the car and hit the road home. This time with no one out to hurt me but the bright future of a sunset setting over my house.