All I remember is that my father wasn’t around for some time. One day in first grade, I would come home from school and my curiosity got to me. I questioned my mom where my father was, for he hadn’t been home in many days. Her vague answers would irritate me; I knew she wasn’t telling me the whole truth. Two days had passed and I asked her once again where he was. This time, she didn’t hold back. My parents were divorced the month before, and I was a part of my mother’s custody. My dad was given the simple father time- dinner once a week and then spending the night every other weekend. However, my father didn’t even want that. Two whole years, I saw my father maybe three times. Every once in a while, he would show up at the occasional dance recital or take the courts offer on Dairy Queen dinner Wednesday nights. Eventually I grew so attached to my mother; I barely even wanted to see my dad myself.

Third grade year had just started; I was in Mrs. Johnson’s class. My life was very routine, just like anyone else’s. Every day after school I would ride the bus to my babysitter’s home, Wendy. Wendy was practically my second mother. I have known her all my life. At Wendy’s house, I would play with her children who were like my siblings. Our favorite thing to do was play make-believe. We would either pretend we were a family and cook meals, sleep, and watch television; or we would go exploring in the woods outside.

Down the hill and through the trees, if you follow the tiny creek you will come across a large lake. Beside that large lake is a gigantic tree, the biggest I had ever seen. With Wendy’s three other children, every day after school we would visit this big tree. We called this spot, our Narnia. One day, on our usual trip to Narnia, Grace, the youngest of Wendy’s kids fell while walking through the creek. She yelled out in pain.

“What’s the matter Gracie?” I asked wanting to continue my venture to Narnia.

“My arm…” Grace tried to explain through her choking tears.

“I’ll go get my mom.” Aly, Grace’s older sister said. I decided to stay back with Grace who wouldn’t stop crying. I sat down next to her, not knowing what to do. I’ve never hurt myself very badly before and my inexperience was upsetting myself. I didn’t know what to do while my best friend was crying, so I started crying myself. So here we sit, two small girls crying in the woods. Eventually Grace’s mom came to the rescue. You could always count on Wendy.



* * * *

Later third grade year my dad started coming around a lot more. He told me he was going to get married to a woman named Jody. My dad started taking his time over the weekends and dinner on Wednesdays before dance class. I still had trouble going with my dad. I had stayed with my mom for three years straight now with my mom and my dad was basically a stranger. When my parents would meet to exchange me, I would kick and scream and cry, anything that would give me the possibility of staying with my mom. Most weekends I would be so upset I would cry and have to come home to my mother. Eventually I was accustomed to being around my dad- it wasn’t as bad. However, that is when the custody battle began.

I started have regular meetings with an attorney. She kept repeating herself with the same questions. “Do you want to live with your dad?”

“No.”

“Which school do you want to go to?”

“New Franklin.” I would always reply. Why would I want to go anywhere else? All of my friends, all of my memories, the farm, my home, my babysitter, they were all in New Franklin. She just smiled, nodded, and said ok. I wondered if she really cared, I mean I was only some third grade girl. The next week I woke up extra early and went to my grandma’s house. I had no idea what was happening. A couple hours later my father returned to come pick me up and we went to the attorney’s office again. My mom was already sitting there so I joined her, she wore a smile but I could tell she was pretty tense. My attorney began talking.

“Hello Abbey. We just got back from the court room who has decided your living schedule.” I suddenly got really nervous. Complete strangers are deciding the direction of my life. “You are going to have fifty-fifty custody with your father and mother.” Wow, that’s a lot of time away from mom. “And you will be moving to Columbia with your mom, because your dad lives in Ashland. This makes the drive between the two houses shorter and more convenient for you!” Yes, but how will that make it convenient to go to school every day? “The place you will be moving to puts you in Paxton Keeley Elementary School district.”

“I’m not going to New Franklin anymore?” My mom’s eyes became glossy. I could tell she was upset. New Franklin is where she graduated and I’m sure she wanted that for me as well. “That’s the only thing I asked for. Weren’t you listening?” My attorney sighed.

“You’re too young to make your own decisions, I’m sure you’ll love Columbia!” my father tried to reassure me. It was at that moment, I felt like the smallest person ever, I had no voice.






* * * *

My fourth grade year began at my new school. This one elementary school was the size of New Franklin’s whole school system put together… 700 students. A bit intimidated, I walked into the new school. I decided to make friends; I must find things in common with people. The girl who sat in the table beside me started humming a familiar song. “Is that Hannah Montana?” I questioned her. She blushed and nodded her head. From then on we were inseparable, which made me feel better because of my lack of knowledge on the basics. Fourth grade year went by extremely quick, and my time at this new school was coming to an end as fast fifth grade year was ending. In New Franklin when you finish elementary, you just move down the hall just like all other grades, but in Columbia you move to a whole different building.

Middle School was my new battle. Teams were worse. Maddie was put on a different team than me. Great, now I’m going to have to make more new friends for the second time in my life. Not again. In my first class I decided to sit in the back. Unfamiliar faces started to venture into the large science classroom. A girl I somewhat recognized from Paxton Keeley walked in and rushed to sit by me. “You were the only face I recognized.” She said with a shrug and that’s when it hit we were all dealing with the same battle. Her name was Katherine, and she was my locker partner for that year. Over the two years at Smithton, Katherine and I stuck together. And together we tried out for Junior High Cheerleading.

My new school had the same new routine I was used to by now. But cheerleading made it all the worth while. Over the summer we would have practice and run laps around the building. Tryouts were intimidating sense the only girl I knew was Katherine but the nerves were only from the fact it was my first official tryout. Katherine and I both made the squad and would be cheering at Viking basketball games. Once school started, all I really looked forward to was practice after school. Even though it was tough work with running eight laps every practice, rerunning old cheers, jump drills, and my favorite stunting.

My stunt group was perfect. It involved Eden, Katherine, and Amanda. We were advanced and caught on quickly when it came to stunting. After a couple of our first games, all the girls and the coach decided that preps and shoulder sits were getting old. In practice we started cradles and extensions. I personally loved cradles the most, but extensions were scary. The final moment came, when we would be performing an extension at the west game. Half time was the glory minute came. Amanda and I were standing by each other counting the minute down.

“Oh my gosh, Abbey, we can’t do this!” Amanda was scared out of her mind.

“Don’t say that Amanda! We’ve done great every time it’s nothing different!” I reassured my friend. One of my favorite things about cheerleading was the push and having to overcome your fears. I love the adrenalin rush when you’re about to perform or do something new- something that if you don’t hit right, could hurt someone badly.

“I think I might throw up.” Amanda looked stoned. There was thirty seconds left until half time when all the nerves hit me like a ton of bricks.

“Oh gracious, I can’t do this.” The seconds were ticking and before I knew it there was twenty seconds left. All the girls watched Amanda and I as we thought we were going to throw up. I felt tears spring at my eyes. We weren’t ready to do this! Ten seconds left when the whistle blew. There was a personal foul called delaying the time. Once both free throws were made, the game continued. Nine, eight, seven, six. Wee! The whistle blew notifying everyone there was a timeout called. More time being delayed, more time to think about all that could go wrong. Once all the players returned to the court, the clock once again started ticking down as I felt my stomach rise in my throat. Three, two. Wee! Another whistle for another personal foul and after both free throws were missed the clock counted down to the time we were dreading to come. We lined up for our mini-routine and started the chant. I knew I was saying the words, but I couldn’t hear anything. It’s just like those cliché movies, when something bad happens and every person, every sound, and every sight is in slow motion. Do what you’re trained to do Abbey, and Amanda and everyone else will follow through. Do your job and everyone else will too! We went up, and hit our extension perfectly! It was a glory moment at the top of our stunt, and all that led to it prepared me for many more things to come in life.