It Puts Me Right Over the Moon...Tuesday Tales

August 14, 2012

Tuesday Tales

Welcome Fellow Fathomers to this weeks' edition of Tuesday Tales. A group of writers getting together to share their WIP on a common theme. The picture theme for today is MOON...take a look at my contribution from my upcoming YA novel- Leather, Laces, and Camping by the Sea:

"Hi, I’m Helena. I turned twelve this year and will begin junior high in the fall. I’ve lived in the same town and attended the same school system for most of my academic career. I attend a church youth group, play softball, take pre-AP classes, and have a voracious appetite for learning about animals. Someday, I want to own my own zoo. Okay, well, maybe a zoologist or biologist or a large animal vet.

My mom, Elaine, moved us to Texas when she got a promotion with her job. I was at the very end of Kindergarten when I transferred schools. I enjoyed the last few weeks of my new school with field trips, games, and movie days and made friends quickly. I’ve always been outgoing and friendly, so meeting new people has always been an experience I relish.

We moved into a cozy brick duplex with two bedrooms close to the lake and beautiful walking trails. It was just the two of us- my mom and dad divorced before I started school and my brothers had already graduated and moved out. Starting over was exciting for me and I looked forward to everything we would do together.

****

It was sometime during second grade when things began to change for me and life became somewhat awkward. My vast vocabulary intimidated some of my classmates and they made fun of me when I used words they actually did not understand. Instead of asking me what I meant, they called me names like stupid and walked away from conversations. I shook it off and skipped on to something else. My closest friends included teachers and other adults, while schoolmates bonded strictly with each other. I never thought anything strange about my attachments to older or more mature people. It felt natural to have conversations with individuals I felt connected to, who understood and accepted me.

I suppose now is the time for me to mention something that makes me uncomfortable to talk about, because arrogance never suited me. I have blonde hair and dark brown eyes. My mom sings Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” to me to make me smile. It puts me right over the moon when she does that, although I’d never admit it out loud to her. I’ve already developed the curves of a young woman, ahead of some of the other girls my age. Some adults say I’m beautiful, but, honestly, I don’t always see it.

Especially after the scathing words of my peers ring through my ears.

Let’s get this story started with how I think this whole “bullying” thing began."

Now that you've read something from my upcoming book, please venture over to our Tuesday Tales blog for more from other contributing authors-
Tuesday Tales Blogspot