I'm going to be completely honest; I have no idea how to start this off. I suppose that's a bit ironic, since when it comes to stories, introductions/beginnings are my forte. Maybe it's just that when writing about life, with events that have no clear beginning and end & where things blend seamlessly into one another, there's not one thing I can just abruptly start writing about without it being confusing. Does that make sense? I hope so. I guess it'll be best to start out with a quick introduction, eh? Well, here goes-

My name is Kaitlyn, last name withheld. I will tell you however, it's something that people can (and frequently do) make sexual jokes about. Anyway, my nickname is Katie, and that's generally what people know me by. I'm 17 years old, which isn't anything special…it's that year that's just there between "sweet 16" and being 18 and legal. I'm currently a senior in high school, which I love. It's a lot of stress though, with all the work, senioritis, emotions, and applications. I actually like school I suppose; I have mostly blow-off classes (one of which I'm in as we speak), I have quite a few friends, and things are pretty chill.

Hmm, what else can I say? Let me talk about my family now. I live in the suburbs, and to everybody on the outside, we look like a perfect picture of the American dream. You know-upper middle class, parents still together, 2 children, 2 dogs, 2 cars, et cetera. My mother has been the PTO president of every school I've ever went to, for Christ's sake. All that's literally missing is the white picket fence. In all honesty, this isn't anything to complain about, but it sure is boring as hell. But all that perfection, it's on the outside. There are a lot of problems, but I really don't feel like going into it, so just keep that in mind.

Now for the entertaining stuff, if you can call random tidbits about my appearance and other shit that fit nowhere else "entertaining." I'm 6 feet tall, which means I tower over most people. It also means I have enormous feet, and a tendency to feel fat because I'm so much bigger than everyone else (although in reality, I'm like average weight). I have waist length brown hair, that's such a hassle but gets a lot of compliments so I keep it. I also keep it because even though I consistently feel like chopping it all off, I remember back in 8th grade when I had it cut to shoulder length and remember that I look like a fat boy with short hair. My eyes are super pretty; I love them to death. They're really wide and they have that "look how cute and innocent and vulnerable I am because my eyes are wide and bright" quality to them, not to mention they change color. Unfortunately, they're obscured by my glasses-which are a necessity. Oh, and I have freckles, and a lot of them at that. I'm Irish Italian, if that helps you picture me any better-Italian hair/features, Irish skin. Which is a total rip off, if you ask me-I'd kill to have olive skin that tans like my family members rather than pale skin that only freckles and burns. Seriously, I don't tan, which leaves me looking suspiciously like one of Stephanie Meyer's vampires (minus the striking facial structure).

Since you probably already have a picture of how I look in your head now, I might as well move on. I'm really not that interesting of a person, but somehow, I have quite a few friends. I'll probably mention them a lot in here, so I might as well give you a rundown of the recurring characters. I'll start off with Riah and Cece-they're my best friends. Well, they're really more like sisters than anything else. Riah and I have been best friends since kindergarten (that makes 13 years, for people who don't feel like doing the math), and we consider ourselves twins. Seriously, our parents tell people we're twins, which gets quite a few looks. That's probably due to the fact that I'm super tall and so white that I almost glow in the dark, and she's short and black. So I can see why they might find that a little strange; it's totally understandable. Regardless, I love this girl to death. We've already decided we're each other's maids of honor and the godmother of each other's future children-and we solemnly promise to make them the most boss children that have ever lived. Then there's Cece, who I've known since 6th grade. She's hilarious, and I love her like family too. Sadly, I haven't seen either of them for over a year and a half. Riah moved to Texas at the end of 8th grade, and couldn't come visit last summer. Cece's always busy, and we never get to see each other. Thank god for phones though, because I'm always texting and calling them, so it's the next best thing. It's still no substitute for seeing them in person, but I make do.

Then we have my friends from school-Briana, Alexis (who we call Churro…even though she's not even close to being Mexican), Faryn, Jade, Jaylin and Caitlin. There's more, but these 6 are the ones I talk to the most, they're my best friends. I've been friends with Briana, Churro, Faryn and Jade since sophomore year, and I swear they're the only reason I still go to this school. Honestly, if I hadn't had made friends with them and become the close knit group that we are, I think I would have transferred schools. See, we all have the distinct "roles," I guess you could call them. Briana is the fashionista, Churro is the bookworm, Jade's the over-achiever and Faryn…well, she's just the crazy one. As for me, I would be the drama queen/nerd (due to my involvement in drama club)…but I guess I'm also the one who's the hopeless romantic, or the fangirl. Or even better, you could roll it all into one, and label me as the hopeless romantic drama queen who just happens to be a major fangirl for the Hunger Games/Josh Hutcherson's jaw. Regardless of what we are, we just fit together and make a group of really fucking awesome people.

Caitlin and Jaylin have been my best friends since last year, and it's kinda like they've been in the group from the beginning. Caitlin is…something else. She's that girl who's short and skinny and pretty and everyone is jealous of her, but she's always complaining about how she's fat and ugly. I think I need to buy her a magic mirror or something. Then there's Jaylin. What can I say about him? Uh, even though we're best friends, I like him. A lot. The way he acts is SO different from other guys, which I don't like admitting because every time I let myself say a guy is different, he goes and proves me wrong. But this time, I have to admit it. There's something about him; the way we play around all the time, the way he acts so cutesy with me, and the way he always disagrees with me whenever I have those inevitable low self-esteem moments. Seriously, he's always telling me I'm skinny and pretty and beautiful and gorgeous. All our friends say that he treats me different than our other girl friends, so I know it's not my wishful thinking that makes me see it. They also say that he pays more attention to me than his girlfriend, which I totally don't see, but everyone else does. Oh, that's another thing. He has a girlfriend, so…y'know. He also tells other people that he only likes me as a friend, but he doesn't act like it. Besides, he knows I like him, and he hasn't told me how he feels. Like, my theory is that he does like me as more, but isn't just gonna up and leave his girlfriend for me. That'd always explain why he tells other people we're only friends, just like in case he does and someone tells his girlfriend.

Or he could just not like me like that and he's telling the truth. I'm gonna go with that, because I'm not exactly the type of girl guys ever fall in love with. Or fall in like, for that matter.

Anyway, I have to go, class is ending. Au revior, and I hope you enjoy my entries!

-Katie xx