IMPERFECT

    As I’m getting ready of the first day of junior year, I look out the window to see the fall leaves falling off the trees and the happy sun peek out of the fluffy white clouds. “Today is going to be different. I’m not going to think about everything that  has happened this past year. I will be happy again.” I said to myself. About a year ago, my parents died. Ever since then, my life has changed. A month after my parents death, I became depressed. Nothing was the same with them gone.  I lived with my aunt Jenna and brother Carter. Carter didn’t take our parents death very easy either. He hangs out with the wrong group of people, does drugs, and just doesn’t try to have a meaningful life anymore. I’m just hoping this year will be different and everything can change back to normal. “Elena! come downstairs! You have to leave for school or you will be late!” Jenna says. I go downstairs to notice that Carter is already gone. Jenna walks up to me , and looks me in the eye, “ Elena , are you sure you are okay?”

“Yes Jenna…  I’ll be fine”

    “Promise me this year will be different. You will start to go out again, I think being around some friends can really help you. Maybe you will even find a boy”

    “ Haha okay. Thanks Jenna,”

When I get to school, I find my two best friends Caroline and Lexi. They both run up to me and hug me. It actually made me pretty happy to see them again.  We all walk into school together and finally catch each other up with everything that has gone on.  “Alright , well I better go. Don’t want to be late on the first day back!”  I start to walk to class  and all of a sudden, I’m on the ground. “Oh gosh! I’m so sorry!” I look up and a guy puts his arm out waiting for my to grab his hand so he can help me up. Once he helps me up, he says, “I’m sorry, that was my fault. I should’ve looked where I was going. "I try to say something but nothing will come out. All that I can really pay attention to is that I am talking to Own Taylor, the guy I have had a huge crush on since freshman year! He is perfect. His eyes are as blue as the sea and his teeth are as white as paper. I'm surprised he actually stopped to help me up instead of just walking past me like I’m nothing. I didn’t even know he knew I existed! “Are you okay?” he says to me.

    “Yeah, I-I’m fine” I say as i feel my cheeks slowly getting redder by the second. “Well, I should probably get to class, I’ll um… see you later I guess..” I say and then walk to class. So far, today has actually been going better than what I expected! All day was great until i saw Amanda and her little clique. Ever since freshman year, they have bullied me. I never really knew why but one day they just started and it never stopped. It’s not like I’m the only one they bully though. They are the 3 mean girls of the school. I guess they just find in joy in hurting other people's feelings...especially mine. Amanda knows that I like Owen, so she hangs all over him and act like they are dating every time I’m around. She makes sure she makes a fool out of me too. One day, she thought it would be funny to trip me in the lunch cafeteria. I was walking to my table after I got my lunch, and in front of everybody, she stuck out her foot and tripped me. I fell on the floor and my food fell on me. My yogurt was all over my new shirt and my water was all in my hair. Lets just say by the end of the day, my hair was a big poof ball. I never really knew why but usually after a while, they move on to a new person to mess with, but ever since freshman year, they have all had something against me...If only she knew what my life was like now.

    It’s 7:30 p.m. when I get a phone call. “Unknown” it says. “Um hello…” I say in a confused voice. “ Hey Elena! It’s Owen.” A million things are going through my mind, I just don’t know what to say!” “So um, I was wondering if you wanted to hangout Saturday night?” He says.

    “Oh yeah, sure!” I say in a nervous voice.

    “Alright great! I guess we will talk later then!” I hang up the phone and by now, I’m bouncing off the walls.

It’s been a few months in school now and things are going great! Me and Owen have been dating for a few months now and I’ve learned so much. I always thought Owen had the perfect life, but I was wrong. Mine and his life are actually very similar. When he was 5, his dad died in a car crash and when he was 9, his mom died of cancer. He told me that at first it is all very hard, but everything got better at one point and I just had to be patient. He also helped me realize that not everybody has a bad side to them. He got me to finally feel happy again. He took me to the bridge my parents died on. At first I did see how it would work. When I was on there though, it took me back to the day of the accident. Everything was normal one minute, and the next, the car was flipped over the bridge and all I could do was stare at my parents while the car slowly filled up with water. That made me realize that I should be happy for the people I have now and actually surviving, other than just feeling bad for myself. I was finally happy, I was doing things with friends, and most importantly laughing again. I ended up going to someone to talk to and it actually helped a lot. I also finally stood up to the mean girls. They haven’t talked to me or even laid eyes on me since I stood up to them. Too bad I hadn’t done it any sooner. Carter also started to get help and is making better choices now. He stopped hanging out with the people he was hanging out with and went back to his old friends. Also, he joined football again and started to focus more on grades. Just as I thought everything was getting worse, really it was all just getting better.