You Don't Know..What you Don't Know

Prologue

Every girl can go back to the moment that clarifies who we would be. That moment when time stood still and the world sets us on a path to discovering who we are or who we hope to be.
My boyfriend's go back as long as I can remember.  At four, I had Danny.  At seven, Tripp and at eight, there was Shane. I took a break in middle school to focus on basketball but boys were not far from my mind.  I didn't have time.  I had to be an athlete.

I was not a pretty girl naturally. I was later than my friends at developing. They were all older and more beautiful. I was the meek one in the Group. Yup, that was me. Tia Scott, Follower. I didn't wear makeup or do my hair like other girls were obsessed with.  I wore athletic and baggy clothes to mask my lack of development. Bandanas were my friend and so were my Nikes. I was an athlete and a tomboy. I know it sounds cliché, but it's true. I didn't stand out until that Summer. I transformed that Summer. I became Tia Scott, the Vixen and the Princess.  The world clarified my place in it that Summer.  Although, I did not understand how until way later in life.

The summer before my freshman year, my parents decided two weeks in Baltimore with my extended family would be a perfect vacation. Two weeks with my grandparents. Oh my excitement overflowed. Well not exactly.  I loved the city. But two weeks away from home and my friends was not my idea of fun. Especially with me starting to care about boys and knowing my friends were enjoying their summer back home with lots of them.  You see, my extended family is closely knit. We are Greek and ingrained with all the traditions that entails. We are superstitious and perceived as a male dominated family. In reality, the females run the show. But for me, it meant limitations. I am controlled. I did not realize until that summer, life did not mean following all the rules but only manipulating the situation to look as though I do.

I learned all this from my older cousin, Maria. To say Maria was beautiful, would be an understatement. She is stunning, poised, and breathtaking all in one. She knows how to dress and act. I admire everything about her. She would never be caught dead in sweat shorts and a lame t-shirt. She is everything I want to be, and nothing I thought I ever could achieve.
My family consisted of one brother, five guy cousins and Maria. Running the family down in order starts with Emanuel who was age 18 that summer.  He is the oldest of my mom's sister, Sophia's, family. He is the epitome of a true Greek male, proud and loud. Not that I didn't love him. We were different in so many ways. Then Maria at 16. She is Emanuel's sister and the only other girl in the family. She was and is my idol. She rarely took notice of me though. Well at least until that Summer. That Summer, she transformed me and created a bond between us I am forever grateful for. Last in their family is George. George is 15 and has always been the equalizer. He is the voice of peace in this loud Greek Family.

Mom's other sister is Mary. Aunt Mary has three boys. John,16, and the oldest. He is the quiet one. He loves to read. We could talk for hours about any book series. Steve is 14. Steve and I are the best of friends and have stayed that way. I think I became a tomboy because of him. He is my confidant when things are tough and I am his. The baby of us all is Mike at 12. Mike is the fun loving go with the flow cousin. He is too young to be included and a little too spoiled because he is left out.

Then my immediate family. My brother Jim at 15. Jimmy is the epitome of the perfect person. He is an athlete, popular, good grades and an awesome brother. He is what I strive to be also. Failing miserably, but the goal is still there. And me, Athena, at 14. My nickname is Tia.  The one person that calls my Athena is the voice of my sassy side that resides in my head.  I am the only other girl in the family and the right age to be included.

My parents moved us to the outskirts of the city long before I was born, but my family remains in what is called Greek Town.  Greek Town is about a 30 block radius in East Baltimore. The shops and restaurants centered around our heritage.  More than just Greeks live here now. Back in the day, many Greeks settled from New York and created a community deeply rooted in tradition.

My inner strength was built on these streets. There was so much in life I didn't know up to that point. My journey started within those blocks that summer and led me to figure out the puzzle of not knowing what in life I didn't know.