My childhood starts at the age of four
Pre-school and sandcastles with little red flags
Running through fields and coloring outside the lines
My house was nestled in the middle of the woods
Neighbors lived miles down the road
Our little New England home was the perfect place

At the age of five we packed up and left
The mountains and forests changed into a suburb
States away where there were no fields to play in
Only hard asphalt and patches of grass
We live with grandma and grandpa, and my aunts and cousins
A crowded house, but still not home.

By the age of six we had moved four times
Apartments to apartment, to grandmas and back
Back and forth, back and forth.
I lives out of suitcases and cardboard boxes
We never settled for just one place
My mom said “We will find a home one day, I promise.”

At seven my parents say they have some news
“We bought a house, it will be our home.”
I am happy we have a place of our own
My own room, a place for all my toys
A backyard with a swing set
This house became my home.
When I am eight my best friend moves away
I am alone, I have no real friends
On the playground I would play with Charlie
My imaginary friend
Kids made fun of me for believing he was real
I did not care, imaginary or not he was the only friend I had

I turn nine, this year a new girls comes to my school
She has the same name as me and we find it funny
Her and I became quick friends
She was different and fun
We grew really close that year
I did not have to play with Charlie anymore

The fifth grade, I am ten and it is my last year of elementary school
My circle of friends had grown larger
My year was filled with sleep overs and play dates
We talk about middle school
Lockers, textbooks, different teachers, and scary eighth graders
We promise to remain friends

From the ages of eleven to thirteen things slightly change
I lose some old friends and gain some new
My grades are better
I am starting to like school
In eighth grade I am excited about high school
I wonder how things will change

First day of high school, I am fourteen
I get lost on the way to my first class
Some older kids made fun of me
My friends are nowhere to be seen, where were they?
Things are so different at high school
I am so alone here, people are mean
They made fun of me, why do they make fun of me?

Sophomore year, I am fifteen
My friends are different, they act different.
We are not as close anymore, I am alone again
I am made fun of every day
I want out, I do not want to be here any more
I want to die

I am sixteen and someone makes fun of me on the internet
I keep positive like the therapist told me
Inhale, deep breath, I got this, I can handle the bullies
But I am not bullied at school like I expected
They defend me and become friends with me
I felt like I mattered for once, things have turned around

Senior year, I am seventeen
I got my license, a job, and an awesome boyfriend
Things have turned around
My friends and I reconnected and are close again
It is my senior year and I have tried to make the best of it
I am graduating, things are good and the future looks even better