Pt 2

We moved to Alabama. I was in 7th grade. I tested into mostly 8th grade classes.
I was an outsider. Nobody at the school really wanted to talk to me. I hated it. I finally found a few guys to hang out with. They weren't the best. I joined a gang. I found myself changing. I grew colder. I grew angry. I started to hate my father for never having money. I was tired of being the poor kid with secondhand clothes. I was at the age where I realized that the boxes of food we got came from food pantries. I realized that food stamps were looked down on pretty heavily.
I hated my parents for it. I ignored that it's hard to support four kids. I didn't care that Dad worked more than 80 hrs a week at a factory to pay for things.
I started slipping into depression. I started fights over nothing. I kept getting worse. I started cutting my wrists.
It felt good. Looking back, I hate those scars. I wish I hadn't done it.
I also started drinking. I would even bring it to school. Eighth grade I would brink alcohol to wrestling practice/school. My parents never suspected. I had straight A's. I was always smiling around them. I was a model child in their presence.
Halfway through wrestling season, I snapped my leg in half at a birthday party. It put me out for the season. I was on a track to state. I was doing extremely well. The broken leg ruined my season. It broke my heart.
Then I discovered painkillers.
I liked them.
They felt good.
They made me not care.
They made me invincible.
They were also easy to sell.
Yeah. Tyler, straight A student, bookworm, athlete, sold pills.
When my leg healed, I stopped.
Halfway through eighth grade, we moved schools. We were one town away. I found a girl. Her name was Christina. She was amazing. It was puppy love. She even got me to go to church.
The first youth group I went to, there was a big guy with red hair, and a red beard. He jumped up. He was a big guy. Like 300 lbs, 6'1". Big. He grabbed my hand, and hugged me. Said, "Welcome Brother."
He didn't treat me like an outsider. I was welcome. The people were all nice. It was amazing. I felt at home. I found Santuck Baptist Church.
I was slightly happy again.
Then Christina and I split up. Right before summer break. It hurt. I kept going to church. I avoided her. Then it was high school time.
I started out my high school career at Elmore County High School. We were the Panthers. I also joined JROTC. I was going to join the military. At school, I had some fun. I started getting in trouble again though.
At home, my family was falling apart. Dad lost his factory job. He started working for a well company. Then lost that job. He then turned to things a little shadier.
At school, I started talking to a girl. She was beautiful. She really liked me. We got along beautifully.
I also made good friends. We caused all sorts of trouble. I even got a tattoo on my finger at lunch one day.
We were crazy.
Then, I found out I was moving. It broke my heart. I fell back into depression again. Bad. The girl I was talking to had said yes to date me. I was crushed.




I'll continue this tomorrow. It's getting late.
Thanks.
Tyler