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Dis

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Audrey, Kalib, Jacek & Kinzey Garlick

Audrey

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Somehow, the city seemed different now. I think New York enhances the emotions you’re already feeling. If you’re happy and hopeful, the city caters to your endless dreams, the shimmering lights inspiring thoughts of wonder. On the other hand, if you’re confused and scared, the city stands over you like a monster, too big and intimidating to be tamed. For me, the city merely reminded me of how alone I truly was. In the blink of an eye, my life had been flipped upside down. I just wanted everything to go back to the way things were, when all in the world seemed right. But of course, life doesn’t work that way. You play the hand you’re dealt, and as I told myself every night, I was a fighter. I didn’t like the situation I was in, but I would fight my way out. I told my-self, “Whatever it takes.” Like I told you before, I had grown quite close with James’ family, and particularly with his mother. Nobody could ever replace my own mom (I know I haven’t talked about her much, but my mom does and always will hold the most special of places in my heart), but that said, James’

Chapter 7A Dangerous Path

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marched down to the schoolyard, handled my business. Before long, my reputation as an up-to-no-good troublemaker was starting to precede me, a constant cloud of judgment hanging over my head. When my grades slipped, the teachers were more than happy to revoke my basketball privileges, telling me that I could no longer play on the school team. And that’s when I really started to spiral. I was lying to my Poppa, and even when he started to figure out what was happening, he never doled out much punishment. In his eyes, I was the perfect little angel. I think we sort of lived in that sort of blissful world that grandparents and grandkids live in, where neither one can do any wrong in the eyes of the other. I think he knew that losing basketball was really hard on me, so he didn’t want to make it worse by punishing me. Basketball had always been my safety net, the one thing that could soothe my anxiety and confusion. The court was a place of sense and sanity for me. The game made me feel good about my-self. Without it, I was pent up, frustrated and on the edge, always ready to snap. And one day, it happened.

Another story

It is one of the few days I have decided to go to school, and my teacher, a wiry old lady with the personality of a witch, has de-cided to single me out to do a problem on the chalkboard. Even more than most students, I absolutely hate being called on in class. It makes me feel self conscious in a smothering, suffocat-ing way, like the walls of the classroom are closing in around me, the eyes of my classmates turning toward me, staring, waiting. It’s the worst feeling, especially when I don’t know how to do the problem. Don’t even know where to begin. So basically, I refuse. “I’m not going to ask you twice,” my teacher says. It’s not the right thing to say to me. I don’t respond well to threats. I stand my ground, a defiant smirk on my face. “You can ask all you want,” I say. She tells me to get out of my seat, motioning me out into the

Audrey, 16 years old, playing softball

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A special ‘thank you’ to all who touched my life and provided inspiration to me along this journey. I

hope you all enjoyed sharing it with me as much as I enjoyed telling it.

Audrey