The Elements Of Life

How It All Started

"Okay here we go." I say to myself. I pick up the sparkly pink notebook that my mom got me for my birthday. I wanted to save it for a special moment and I figured this would be the perfect time. September 3rd 2021, the first day of Sophomore year. I pick up my favorite pen and start writing. It's a pink pen with roses on it. I love it. I've had it for years. I only use it when I'm writing something important. I'm so nervous. I don't even know what to write in my diary. "Dear Diary," I start writing. At least I wrote something. My therapist told me to write my feelings down when I feel anxious. I have super bad anxiety so writing has helped me a lot in life. I'm this sweet little nerd with a popular brother who happens to also be the quarterback of the football team. My family is the most cliché rich and perfect family. Both my parents are doctors and they were highschool sweethearts with 2 perfect kids. My brother and I even have the most basic names. Emma Marie Lynn and Anthony Joseph Lynn. You guessed it folks, we have Catholic parents. When I got diagnosed with anxiety, it was the great shame in our family. And when I started therapy, my family wouldn't even say the word 'therapy' for months. My brother has bad anger management issues and used to get into fights all the time when we were younger so my parents just put him into football so he could his anger out without it being noticed. He's so clearly the favorite child. The spoil him yet I've worked for everything I've ever got. A 2 years difference seems so short yet so far apart at the same time. So my smile might be a little fake, but I love my simple life. I'm a little miss perfect but it means that I don't have many issues. My only problem in life is anxiety. "You ready to go?" Anthony says while standing in the door way of my bedroom. I hate him but I love him at the same time. "Yep! Give me one second." I shove my diary into my book bag and follow him out the door. Anthony has been driving me to school ever since he got his licence. It started off as a punishment for when my parents caught him making out with Ashley Fits behind the school and now we have been doing it ever since. We say goodbye to our parents and then hop in his car. We get to school and we both meet up with our friends. My friend group hasn't changed for as long as I could remember. It's always been me, Raven Almon, Dexter Jax, Trey Jason Scoot and Sydeny Crofford. Nobody calls Trey by his full name. We always called him Trey. Most people don't even know that his full name is Trey Jason. Me and Raven basically grew up together. Our moms went to highschool together and stayed friends til death do them part. Raven's mom died when we were 12 and she hasn't been the same ever since. She went from wearing pretty pink princess dresses and those kiddy high heels to wearing all black and big platform boots. She scares most people in our highschool. We are polar opposites might still best friends. Some might even call her my gay best friend cause she happens to be bisexual. The next member to join our group is her boyfriend Dexter. Raven and I used to hang out at the park down the street and lucky for us (mostly for Raven), the new guy in town happen to go there too. It was the summer of 2013, we were 7, and saw Dex playing basket ball. He was all alone so Raven and I asked to play with him. We have been best friends since then. On to the 4th member, we have Trey. A brand new cafe opened in 2016. The entire 5th grade class would never stop talking about it. One day, Raven, Dex, and I decided to hang out there and we saw Trey sitting at a table writing something on his computer. He seemed mysterious so we went over and asked him what he was writing. He was writing his first murder mystery novel. He wanted to be an author. We started telling us all his ideas and we just bounded so well. And for the newest member of the group, Sydeny. She joined the group last year. She had just moved to town last year and happen to go to our school. Us being the amazing friends we are, we immediately took her under our wing. We are the perfect friend group. Sydeny and Trey and both mysterious and love box yet still have there own unique style so they made a great couple. They started dating last year at the homecoming dance and Raven and Dex started dating in seventh grade. Raven got so mad at Dex and started beating him up til she knocked him to the ground. Once she pinned him to the ground, they kissed and have been together ever since. They are the cutest couple, but don't tell Trey and Sydeny that. Anyway, we all walk to our classes and then meet up at lunch later. Once I saw them, my anxiety cooled down and then I was okay for the day. We hung out after school and nothing was out of the ordinary. They kicked off the year with a football game and a big dance to celebrate. Our friend group went to every game to cheer on Dex. He happened to be on the team with my brother. I cheer them both on. I never have a date to dances or the football games but I never thought much about it. I was with my friends. Sure, I get sad seeing my friends being adorable couples, but I'm fine. "Hey Em, you ready to go home?" Anthony says, leaning against his car and watching me walk out of school. "Ready!" I say happily. We get in the car and head home. Most of our nights are the same. We eat dinner as a family, say grace, watch one movie together, and then it's off to bed we go. On football nights, we mentally prepare for the game and then get physically ready to go. We stop at Applebee's for dinner after every game. So we did just that. Football game from 4-7pm and then the dance starts at 8pm. I wore this red silk dress with a black belt, red heels, and a black head band. Red really makes my bleach blond hair look perfect. My brother has light brown hair and is wearing a black silk suit. He's dating the most popular girl at school, Madison Thorne. She's wearing a long, tight fitting purple dress with her hair in a french braid that falls over her shoulder. She's the prettiest girl in school. I can just barely tolerate her. She's that one girl in school that is mean but in a nice way. The night goes on and is amazing like usual. I dance with my friends and take some cute pictures with them to post everywhere possible. My brother drives me home after the dance. I'm exhausted. I fell asleep almost the minute I hit my bed. I managed to still brush my teeth and change into my pyjamas. Off to sleep ago.