What's so great about the Marines?

Chapter 1: Introductions

Wake up, get dressed, rush to the bus stop, 40-minute bus ride, morning formation, advisory, stupid classes, 40-minute bus ride home, mess around on my computer, go to bed late. 

That's it, my daily routine, day in and day out. There was the occasional cyber meeting or Jobie meeting, but that's it. My life is boring and I'm nothing special. I have a handful of friends that I see most days, average grades, and no real social life. I should probably introduce myself, though, before I forget. My name is Iris Squier, I'm 15 years old in the 10th grade. My daily routine may have seemed a bit weird to you, though. You see I go to a military academy for the Marine Corps.

I started at Texas State Military Academy in my freshman year when the school first started. I chose to go here because it was a new school so I thought it would be a fresh start with new people. Since it was the first year there were only 200 students with only 9th and 10th grade. The school is in Dallas, Texas, where I live. My first thought for life after high school was to be a nurse in the military, I'm not sure why it just really intrigued me. Since then my plan has changed and I have no plan to join the military. So the question a lot of people ask is why I still go to TSMA and I honestly have no clue.

Enough about my school, though, that's not the reason you're here. The reason is me and my story. Before we can get into the story I have to tell you a bit about my past. I will start by saying I have depression and anxiety, trust issues, insecurities, minor intimacy issues, minor bipolar, and ADHD. It's a lot, I know, but that's what I live with. I used to cut, but I haven't since I started 9th grade, I also used to drink to forget my problems, but now I just drink recreationally (most of the time), and I smoke weed every once in a while, it helps me eat. Most of the depression and stuff I mentioned started in 8th grade, but they go much farther back than that. A majority of my problems come from when I lost my great-grandmother, a.k.a. Mom-mom. I was 9 and in the 3rd grade, she had been in and out of the hospital for a while and she passed away on March 30th at 71 years old from liver failure, I found out March 31st after school that day. 

I stayed home from school on April 1st, it was a Friday so it wasn't much of a problem, but it was Spring picture day. I spent the weekend crying in my room wrapped in the blanket she knitted me. I was so upset and distraught over this because it gave me one regret. The last time I saw her was in the hospital, I thought nothing was wrong because she made jokes about the hospital and her stay there, but as we were leaving I just waved and didn't say bye. I carried that with me for the longest time, for the years afterward I would sometimes cry myself to sleep because I missed her so much. My Mom-mom was the one to first teach me how to cook and I would help her whenever I was at her house. I remember picking her up from New York so she could live in Texas, brushing her hair for her, her yelling at me to put socks on. I loved her and learned so much from her. 

I grew up with my mom, dad, and older brother. My brother is 5 years older than me and would always pick on me and tease me. Because of that, I absolutely hate being tickled. Growing up I got bullied about my clothes, hair, because of rumors, my interests, looks, being LGBT, religion, height, and weight. I still get bullied in high school about some of the same things, but also because of rank and leadership abilities now. Even people, I consider friends or acquaintances would pick on me. I got my trust issues and intimacy issues from relationships, I didn't get my first boyfriend until 8th grade, but I didn't choose the right people. I made stupid decisions and I paid the price for it.

That's basically the story of my life. I have only told this to a handful of people, until now. This is me opening up, exposing myself, making myself vulnerable. It's terrifying, but it's time I got that out. Also, it would be hard to follow along without the main characters' back story. 

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A/N: I know I haven't continued stories in the past, but that's because I lost the inspiration for them. I do promise that I will do my best to update this as regular as I can. Now I know it got a bit meta at the end, but it is being told from the main characters' perspective, it's her story. I'm not sure if I will add some sort of fantasy element, I'm thinking of it, but the question is what kind of fantasy. I hope you enjoy the story and stick with me as I write it. If you have any suggestions or if I made an error please comment and let me know. Bye for now.