To the Moon and Back

Chapter 1

Emily Staunton Middle School sucks. Well, I guess that the learning part of it is great, but the people there are horrible. I have no friends, and everyone bullies me. I'm a skinny, blond-haired nerd girl who's only friends reside between pieces of paper. Book characters. My only friends are book characters. I mean, how sad is that? 

At lunch, I eat by myself at the only table that no one else sits at. When walking to class, I have to treat it like a war zone. You never know when someone might sneak up behind me and trip me up or accidentally drop something on me. After school, I have to leave through the door that lets you out at the back of the school. Then,  have to walk for 10 minutes to get to the front of the school so my mom can pick me up. I'm starting high school next year, and I don't think that it is going to be any better. 

When I'm at home, you can always find me with my nose in a book or my phone. I don't like being around people. I have 4 siblings, and they are all loud and annoying. There's Harper who is 4. It's not really her fault that she's loud and annoying because she's a toddler, but she still is. Then, there's Liam. He is in the 6th grade, and he thinks that because he's in middle school, he knows everything now, and he has no problem making that clear to everyone. I am in the middle. My older brother, Lucas always has the same friend over at our house. They are both super into rock music, and his bedroom is right next to mine so I have to hear it whether I want to or not. My oldest brother, Gabe isn't home all the time because he's in college, but it's annoying that he's not home.

My parents hardly take notice of me at all. My mom is too busy playing with Harper, and my dad is too busy watching football or playing games with Lucas to take care of me. And they both have their hand full with Liam bombarding them with random knowledge. 

So basically, my life sucks. I have no friends, parents who don't know I exist, and siblings who think that the world revolves around them. 

The only thing that is good in my life is my grandpa. When he comes to our house, he only hangs out with me. Though, that might be because my siblings don't want to hang out with a 71-year-old guy who smells like campfire smoke. 

My grandpa is a photographer. He gets to go to the most beautiful places in the world, and then he just takes pictures of them. I think it's awesome. I have some images that he took hanging in my room. 

I wish everyone else in my life could be just like him. He's kind, silly, lighthearted, but most importantly, he loves me for me. He's my dad's dad, and they never got along really well, and from what I've heard, he didn't come around our house much until I was born. Despite having two older brothers, he never really took to either of them. Both of my older brothers are super into sports and that kind of stuff. My grandpa likes getting exercise but not through sports. He prefers being out in nature. Kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, to name a few.