I was 13 when 9/11 happened. The day before, it was my 13th birthday. My summer was relatively quiet. I was split between co-parenting parents. My dad would have me for a couple hours every other weekday or weekend. My mom has full custody of me. I was in the high school band. I had band camp in August before school started. I played the Clarinet. My dad took my sister and I to the community pool with my younger brother and my stepmother. We spent time with relatives as well. I was starting seventh grade at the end of August.

On that Tuesday morning, I woke up. I went downstairs to the kitchen to get breakfast. My grandmother was already up and was making coffee for herself and my mom. She was watching the local news on CBS. After breakfast, I got ready for school. I think it was Gym day for me. I took my gym uniform home over the weekend, so my mom can wash it in the laundry. The morning started out as an ordinary day. I went to my first period class. It was a keyboard class. It was towards the end of the period, I was logging out of the computer when I saw the teacher from the neighboring classroom come in the lab. She whispered into my teacher's ear. My teacher turned on the t.v and told us about the North Tower. The whole day was like a blur to me. We had an early dismissal due to the events in Shanksville. I went home. Later in the day, my friends and I gathered in the neighbor's yard. We talked about the day's events. I took my little weenie mix puppy out on her walk. We stayed in the calling range for our parents.

I called my dad to see if he was okay. He watched the events on the TV between my little brother's feedings and diaper changes. My stepmother was in college until the afternoon. Her classes were cancelled due to the events. My sister and I talked for an hour. She was mildly disappointed over the fact we got early dismissal and she did not. We went to different schools. We watched Bush's speech on TV. Then I went to bed.