Craft a story from the perspective of a twelve-year-old observing it all. For your twist, focus on specific character qualities, drawing from elements we’ve worked on in this course, like voice and dialogue.

Her name is Jo-Anne. I only know because my parents talk. She has a daughter, Mary Kay, who is in my class. Mary Kay picks up where the teachers leave off on the teasing. She makes sure it follows me home from school – the opposite of the lamb following to school one day.

Jo-Anne has six kids now. She is very short. Even at 12, I am taller by quite a bit. Her yard is a semi-circle, so I can sit right here and she probably won’t even notice I’m here. Today her eyes look tired. She has funny clumps of blue bulging out of her calves. I’ve heard those are called vercose vanes. Those are strange words. They mean she is on her feet all day. 

She has kind eyes. I wish when my mom looked at me they looked the same way. So gentle. 

Her young son, Tommy, is in the yard. “Mommy, mommy, don’t leave.” “Tom, you will be fine, your sister will take care of you, I’ll be back in an hour.”

I see fear in Tommy’s eyes, but know his mommy will never let him down.

Wow, Mary Kay just came out of the house. She has called her cousins from up the block to play baseball. Looks like I’ll be the adopted home plate. Why do I keep doing it? Why do I keep wanting to feel like I fit dam in the whorl?

Guess I’ll go in the house. Or maybe stay out and have everyone laugh. Can I be thirteen soon?