The Ghosts of Years Past - 11 through 17 years old

11 years old - My sister and I dug a hole in my backyard, underneath the swingset that my father built, to China. We were determined....for about three hours.

12 years old - I wore a striped blue shirt and new dark wash jeans to my first day of junior high. It was also Maria's first day of preschool. We practically matched and the smiles were never bigger as we posed for pictures on the front lawn. I had Ms. Green for homeroom and I got to sit near Katie and Maris. It rocked.

13 years old - I got called Ellen (ie lesbian) by my former Twin McHottie crush because I had a picture of Gwen Stefanie (and No Doubt) on my forest green binder. Also, Kathleen and I would go downtown every other week after mass to watch a matinee movie.

14 years old - In Mr. McKay's freshmen year homeroom Gabby and I made up a song/dance to "whip it" by Divo. There was also a senior in my health class who had nor-plant in her arm. She was nuts.

15 years old - Maria fell off the swings, because I didn't catch her in time, and broke her arm. She got a white cast and then decided to cut off her bangs. She looked homeless for awhile.

16 years old - I went on a trip to visit my dad on his "business trip". It turned out he was in rehab. That trip was a peek into the forthcoming familial chaos and also was the setting for my first kiss with a guy named Max. My sister and I swam every night in the hotel pool.

17 years old - I sweated through Ms. Shaddy's AP history and english clases and I almost fell down the stairs when she pulled me aside to compliment my Song of Solomon Final Essay. And lets not forget the time I held Maris' hair as she turned green and puked in the garbage can outside.



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