1. 2001–2006 Middle School/HighSchool

Well, I am only going to go back as far as middle school and breeze right through high school. Mainly because I cannot write down all that I remember prior to this. All I can say is that I grew up in a good home in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. Well, we lived twenty minutes north of downtown. I lived with my two parents and my younger brother, Chris. Mom and dad had been together since they were fifteen years old, and they are still together to thisday.

They did what they thought was best for Chris and I and sent us to a private Christian school in Plum. It was fine; I guess, I never started feeling indifferent about this until I found myself in middle school transitioning into high school. That school was all that I knew. I had been there since the first grade and was with all the same kids the whole time. I had no idea at the time that the education they were giving us was subpar, to be generous, but whatever, I was just there to hang out with my friends. Now, I have always been a handful, as my mother will tell you. I had a smart mouth on me that always needed to have the last word. . . a teacher’snightmare.

To understand most of my middle school and high school years, we need to talk about my best friend, Alyssa. We were not always friends, but back in the sixth grade, she was the “real one.” This was the moment I knew that this girl was about to be my best friend. It all happened in whatever class we were in at the time. The teacher made us put our desks together. I, being a little bitch, did not like this idea at all. For whatever reason, I have no idea why I did this, but I took my pencil, and I stabbed her right in the arm. What a little shit, I mean I truly was Damien in that moment. I got up from my seat and walked out of the room and peered in through the little window at Alyssa, who was crying. As the teacher walked over to her, I looked her in the eye and made a hand gesture as to indicate that if she told on me, I would slit her throat. Morbid right? Alyssa didn’t tell on me and stopped crying. From that moment on, was known as the start of ourfriendship.

All through middle school, Lyss (Alyssa) and I were inseparable. I think this may have been because we both went against the grain a little bit. We weren’t the Barbie-type girls. We would much rather be hanging out with each other at her house obsessing over Fall Out Boy, Panic!, New Found Glory, or Taking Back Sunday. That’s just what we did. Well, that and hanging out with boys who would get us beer and cigarettes. You could find us outside of the mall wearing studded belts, Chuck Taylors, and flared jeans with a pack of Camels. I know, I know. . . we were so rad, who wouldn’t want to hang with us? Haha, a lot ofpeople!

This trend for us progressed through high school until I put a strain on our relationship for a