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~~In the Beginning~~
If you can imagine two trains on the verge of slamming into each other, you've got this scene perfect.

It's a freezing-cold day. The sun refused to peek out from the behind the homely clouds. This weather caused me to wear my gray sweater...in November.

However, t hat's not the case here. Two of my greatest friends are both in the stage of depression. Case number one: Zach V. (Last names aren't important here.) He's short for a 13 year-old, yet he's the nicest guy you'll ever meet. His light brown curly hair makes him have a semi-muffin-top look. the smile that usually spread across his face was hidden under the depressed frown as he handed me his green-and-white striped novelty bucket hat saying, "Take this to remember me." I took it hesitantly and stared at him as he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and walked away.

I had the urge to go after him, but my best friend, (Case number two) Kelsey M. was walking in the opposite direction looking completely frustrated and depressed. She's only a half-inch shorter than me. She, like Zach, has curly hair. Except, hers is blond with a mix of light-brown and black. She has freckles all over her face and wears red and black rimmed glasses. Behind the glasses, are light green eyes the color of spring leaves.

At this point, looks hardly matter to me. The separation of the three of us made a perfect triangle, and I was the top point.

Zach's hat in my hand, I raced across the dead grass towards Kelsey. I jumped in front of her and placed my hands on her shoulders. She stared at me angrily.

"Look," I said. "I know you're frustrated, but the reason why is depressed." I flicked my gaze at Zach. Kelsey followed my gaze and ran after him. I stumbled after her.

Zach was in the grass, his knees tucked to his chest as he laid on his side. His jacket hid his face.

"Zach," I said, kneeling next to him with Kelsey. "Please don't be like this."

"But it's all my fault!" he whined. He snatched his hat and covered his face with it. I rolled my eyes.

"Sit up," I ordered. I hauled him into an upright position, and said, "Follow me." It was then I realized that kelsey had been dragged away by Hannah, one of my other friends.

As Zach and I walked across the school's lame excuse for a football field, I explained something carefully to him:

"I'll tell you what I've been thinking about since you blew up at Kelsey," I began. In the beginning of this excruciating year, Kelsey was depressed and angry because the kids at school were blaming "everything" on her. (That's what she thought.) Zach blew up at her saying, "That's how life is!"
That was a messed up day that I did not want to think back on.

"When one of us gets depressed," I continued, "we think it's our job to help, which it is, and the depressed. Then the emotion gets worse! when everyone's depressed, there's someone who puts the job to fix it all on their self--" I pointed at myself. "--and then they get depressed and sad. Finally, everyone thinks it's their fault. So instead of us behind like this--" I put my hands together, and laced my fingers. "--we're like this!" I spread my fingers apart and moved my arms outwards. I dropped them and stared at Zach, waiting for a response.

He blinked at me. "So, what you're saying is: we're splitting apart?" he said.

"Yes!"

Zach sighed. "I get it."

That's what I like about Zach: he's just one of those guys.

After that, we went back to class with the rest of the eight grade.
That's when my life got really complicated.
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>>"Is this based off your real life?"
Yeah, it is. This incident actually happened towards the beginning of the year. I wrote it down in one of my journals.

"You use the word "depressed" way too many times."
I know, thanks for the tip. This is piece of writing needs work, I realize that.

"I like how this takes place in the eighth grade. Teenage years are an awkward time --fun to read about!"
Yeah...it is awkward. I just hate having to change from the middle school setting to the high school setting.

On another note: I plan on continuing it...I just need to figure out the plot a little better. <<

[Here's another story I'm writing. It's true, for one thing. I'm posting it 'cause I don't have a continuation of "Becoming Us."]

School had just been released, and I was ready to go home. My friends had already made their way down the sidewalk towards their homes, and the school yard was clearing out fast. All you could hear was the occasional honk of an impatient mother, the rush of footsteps on the gravel, and the buses pulling away.

Soon, I saw my grandma's big red suburban pull up. The sun reflected off the paint, making it hard for me to see. I walked forward and climbed in the car.

My grandma isn't your average grandma. She doesn't have the snow-white hair, wear knit sweaters, or have the extreme wrinkles. No, she has dark, wavy brown hair and eyes that could make you smile anyday. She had faint crowsfeet on her eyes, but that was usually from her smile.

I saw that smile now as we pulled away from my middle school. She asked me, "How was your day?"

"It was okay," I replied, staring out the window. Today was just a regular day for my small town. The sun was shining, and the grass was green. Everything was okay.

That was, until I saw the poster. "Someone's missing a dog," I said.
The neon-pink sign hung on an electric pole. It had in big letters: "MISSING: BLACK LABRADOR" written across the top and a picture below that.

"What kind of dog?" Grandma asked, almost cautious.

"Black lab. I feel sorry for its owner."

"I do too."

There was a long pause before I said, "I want a dog."
My dog had to be put down in 2005 before we moved to another state. Her name was Teysha, a black labrador. She was really sweet and loved to have her ears rubbed. However, as she got older, blood clots started to hit her brain. She'd get confused in the middle of the night. My mom took her to the vet, and Teysha never came back. I've missed her since, but it was years later.

"I do too," Grandma said. "It was fun having one, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. I miss seeing a wagging tail and a happy face when I come home from school."

After that, we reached our home. My house is two stories. The paint is a faded light blue with white trim. Rather boring, but I liked it.

The garage door closed behind us as we walked in. I shouted, "I'm home!"

To get to the rest of my house you have to pass our coat rack. It's a small hallway, so you can't see what's around the corner. As I turned that corner, I ran into something. I stopped and looked down.

Right there, staring at me, was a white dog. Its ears were up and I thought I saw its tail wagging. It tilted its head at me. It looked to be about one or two years old.

I looked up at my mom, brother, and his girlfriend sitting in the den.
"There's...a dog," I said, not knowing what to say.

My mom had this happy grin on her face. "I know," she said, trying not to laugh.

I skirted around the dog and it followed me. I sat on the floor and it sat in front of me. I smiled and began to pet it.

The dog was soft, yet you could see its ribs. It had no collar.

"Maddy," Mom said. "Do you want a dog?"

"OF COURSE!" I exclaimed.

"Then we're keeping her!"

The dog's tail began to wag. She probably didn't know why we were so happy.

My mom told me the story of how they found her. Apparently, this morning, after I left for school, my mom and grandma heard a loud yelp. They should have been at work, but neither of them were feeling well. My mom went outside and saw a dog with her paw stuck in our fence. [Our fence towards the right side of our house is really short. It comes up just below my waist.] She'd tried to jump into our yard, but gotten her front paw stuck.

My brother, who should have been at school, but was having a "NO! I WILL NOT GO TO SCHOOL!" day, went and helped my mom and grandma get her out. My mom got a tin and filled it with some dogfood from the store. She set it near the dog and waited. Soon, she began to eat it and growling every time my mom got near. Then, the dog accepted my mom and allowed her to pet her and finally trust her.

"Does she have a name?" I asked. They shook their heads.

"I wanted to name her Aspen," said Mom. "Since she's so white and we live near aspen trees."

We went through this long process of naming the dog. A lot of times we would disagree and move on. Finally, I perked up and said, "Mom, what does Matsi's name mean?"

"From the Sawtooth pack?" Mom asked. "His name means, 'sweet and brave'."

I grinned. "Matsi was a white wolf, right? He'd always take care of the puppies?"

Mom nodded.

"Why not Matsi, then?" I offered.

"Matsi?" my brother's girlfriend, Holly, asked. "Like mozzarella cheese?"

I laughed. "No," I replied. We told her what it meant. Holly and my brother, Kenny, liked it.

And so, my new white labrador, was now Matsi.
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