My Big Brothers: One Direction

It all started when I was six. My sixth birthday to be exact.

That was the day my life changed. Forever.

It was the day my parents told me we were moving. To Maryland.

I was overjoyed. Ecstatic. It was the best day of my life. I was so glad to get out of here. Now, don't get me wrong. The weather here in the great state of Kentucky is fine, but this is not how I wanted my life to go. And granted I was only six that's saying a lot.

We lived right smack in the middle of who knows where (or cares) and My dad had to drive ten whole minutes up the street before he saw the nearest building. The worst part; we owned a half an acre of land and 300 acres of trees surrounded us. They were state property so, consequently, I wasn't allowed to touch them! And for a six year old who all she wants to do is run through the trees and use her imagination it's pretty brutal.

Another thing. Country music and I really didn't get along well. At all. Ever since I could talk I'd been telling myself, I can't do this. I can't live like this. This just wasn't me.

I would look to my right and see a horse. I would look to my left and see a cowboy. I just couldn't do it.

I didn't even have an accent. People would always come up to me and ask me why I had an accent and I would say " I don't have an accent. You do." and they would just laugh and walk away. I guess I really tried to fight this life.

I just needed to get out of here. I just needed some friends. Which brings me to the only thing that was good for me here in Kentucky. School.

Everyday I would go to school and not care what anybody thought about me. Everyone in my school dressed the same. Talked the same. Thought the same. I was glad to be different. I liked it.

I liked the fact that I wore a bun instead of two braids. A beanie instead of a ten-gallon hat. Flip-flops instead of cowboy boots. A ruffled skirt instead of a plaid shirt. I was just different.

Yeah. Sure, I got made fun of but the teasing was never really that bad. I mean we were six, what are the kids gonna do? Take my lollipop? Oh, wait. Jenna McCreary did that last month. I didn't care. In fact as soon as she took it, she smirked at me and walked away. I called out "You're welcome!"

I always get told by friends of my parents, "Oh you're so brave. Oh you're so strong." They all tell me I'm so mature for my age. Pfhst. Whatever that means.

Anyways, first grade was going pretty smooth. That is until that one day in the winter, right before Christmas break. The day changed my life for the worst.

-Flashback-

"Now class. Gather 'round the circle and let us begin." said my music teacher Mrs. Belle. We all took our spots on a different letter of the alphabet. I got 'Q' because I came late the first day of school and had to take the only letter that was left.

Music class was my favorite. I loved to sing. I sang all the time. I even put on shows for my parents sometimes in our backyard. I would sing any song they wanted, but there was one song I liked in particular. It was the song my mommy would sing to me every night before I went to bed.

Bobby Jones had just stumbled onto his letter as Mrs. Belle asked for any volunteers to sing a song to be performed in the school program. I looked around the room to see that none of my classmates had raised their hands. I took that as my chance and my hand shot straight up.

A smile grew across Mrs. Belle's face as she beckoned me to the middle of the circle.

"What are you going to sing for us, dear?" she asked.

"It's a song my mommy sings to me every night." She nodded as I began the song.

"My dear little angel lay down your head

let yourself drift on the soft warm bed

all your fears will melt and all your worries gone

everything is perfect from now until dawn

so, my dear little angel lay down your head

and let yourself smile on the soft warm bed." As I finished the last line of the song I took a small bow.

Then something unexpected happened.

The class burst into laughter.

One boy who was holding his stomach and rolling around on the floor looked at me and said, "I really hope your mom sings better than that."

"I know, right, Jacob? That was awful. Her voice is horrible!" Shelby, a little blond girl with a double french braid running down the back of her head and a little pink cowgirl hat, shrieked with laughter.

"Class! Do not speak to Miss wells that way-" But I had already run out of the classroom crying. Crying. So this is what it felt like to cry. I had never ever cried before. It had taken almost six years, but I was finally broken.

I ran up the stairs to the high school that was above us and threw myself into an open locker. I abruptly closed it and sat in there crying until I heard a loud noise. Oh it was just the bell.

I heard shuffling feet, and loud screams, locker slams, and laughter.

Suddenly, my locker started to open and I let out a squeal. The girl who opened it screamed too, but then stopped once she realized I was only a kid and not some creepy monster. She crouched down to my level and said quietly, "Hi sweetie. Are you okay?" I didn't respond and she asked, "What happened?" I looked up and thought I recognized the girl. She had bright blue eyes and curly blond hair. She was wearing a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up and shorts that looked longer than everyone else's which all seemed too short to me. She had on a pair of black leather cowboy boots and wore a necklace that read Lacey in fancy letters. This time I didn't mind the clothes she was wearing because she made them look cute and like they didn't belong in this school or this town or this state completely.

Then I realized where I had recognized her from. This was the girl that caught me when I was accidentally pushed off the top of the slide because there were way too many people up there. I wondered if she remembered me.

"Hi. Tommy right?" I know it was a strange name for a girl but I thought it was different and I liked it.

I nodded. "I'm Lacey," she whispered.

"I know. You saved me from falling off the slide, remember?" This time it was her who nodded.

"Tommy what are you doing in my locker?" she asked sweetly.

"I'm sorry Lacey! I didn't- I wasn't-I don't-!" I panicked.

"Hey shhh. It's okay. Do you want me to walk you back to class?"

"No. I won't go back to class!" I yelled. She frowned.

"Well then do you want me to walk you home?" I nodded again.

"Okay, hon. Stay right here," she ordered as she walked to the other end of the hall and brought out her phone. I could just hear what she was saying.

"Hi. Ma? Yeah. No, I'm gonna walk home today okay? You can tell Pa he doesn't have to pick me up after school. Okay. Bye Ma. Love you," she said as she hung up.

She walked back over to me and held out her hand. "C'mon, Tommy. Let's get you home."

-End Flashback-

As I said, that day was horrible. It ruined my life. That day-

Was the day I stopped singing.