It's time to go back to high school

When I was 14 years old the one and only thing on my Christmas list was "Braces." I figured that if that's all I put down, I would surely get it. I got a jean purse and some perfume instead. Tons of people I went to school with had braces. I was different. This is the time I learned to smile and laugh with my mouth closed. I have loads of pictures from high school and in every one of them I am the girl with her mouth closed. People made comments on my tense mouth, but, hey, it was better than showing my teeth! Especially since they made comments about my teeth, too. One day during 10th grade math class we had to partner up and I was partnered up with Alan M.--a guy on the football team. We put our desks together facing each other and while we were waiting for instructions from the teacher, he said, "Are you going to get braces?" To be honest with you, I've blocked out my answer to him. Knowing me, I probably just shrugged my shoulders "I don't know" and looked down at the floor. Well, now I get to say to Alan M. and everyone else who wondered the same thing, 15 years after I wrote that Christmas list, "Yes, I am getting braces!" Here's to the beginning of a year as an adult with braces!