A lot of people wondered at my school why I didn't have a girlfriend, but the answer was plain simple: I just didn't think any of the girls were right for me, they were kind of too girly for me; I don't mean to be sexist, but I wanted someone competent, not annoying. That was just how it was for me, and I didn't really mind all that much, but I did wonder a lot of the times if I would find someone.

I guess I should introduce myself… My name is Jeremy Finch, but everyone calls me Jem.

When I was young, I didn't have a care in the world; I would play with my sister, Scout (Her real name is Jean Louise, but that to me is just too long for a first name), and my best friend, Dill. We did a lot of things together, like making a play of Dracula, Tarzan, and eventually Boo Radley's life story, which my father, Atticus, put a stop to, because we were only going of rumors, and it was very rude. Atticus was a defense attorney, and was my idol; he was not only a gentleman, but a really kind man, if he was told to defend a Negro, he would do his damndest to help them, even though his chances were small when it came to those cases. I learned that the hard way with Tom Robinson. Tom was a black man accused of raping a white girl named, Mayella Ewell, and despite the evidence saying otherwise, people still found him guilty… Everyone who had experience tried to warn me, but I was too confident that Atticus would win, and Tom would go free, but it didn't turn out that way, and anyone who had sympathy for Tom, was criticized by the town drunk, Bob Ewell. Bob Ewell was the most hated man in Maycomb! Not only did he molest his kids, but he tried to kill me and my sister while we were walking home! Thankfully my sister didn't take off her costume when Bob attacked her, and luckily I was able to stall enough time for Boo to notice that we were in trouble; I wasn't intending for that, but I'm glad he saved us, and I was glad that Scout was safe. I did complain about my broken arm, which was now shorter than right arm, but when I think about it now, I would take a broken arm, over a dead family member any day of the week. It was around that time I started to loosen up a bit, and this didn't go unnoticed by Scout.
I remember how it went down clear as day, it was in February, and my birthday had just passed, when Scout commented: "Now that you're thirteen, I bet you think you can say whatever you want me, don't you?"
I looked at her with remorse, she was having a lot of nightmares, and although she didn't know it, I would stay up and hold her hand until she calm down, but I was too embarrassed to admit this until that day. "Scout, I can only tell you what to do when I can, and when has that ever happened?" She looked at me confused, and I couldn't help but laugh at face she was giving… Scout didn't really appreciate it. "You makin' fun of me?!"
I stopped laughing, and I told her to come here. She did so, and I gave her a hug. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry for being a jerk to you…" I said to her.
Scout looked at me even more confused, and I could tell that she thought I was pranking her, but when she started showing concern for me when she realized that I wasn't. "Jem, what's gotten into you? You hardly ever say apologize to me…"
Until Bob Ewell attacked me, I always took my sister for granted, but when I saw Bob slash at her, I realized how much she meant me… Scout was my baby sister, and I had been nothing but a jerk to her; I felt guilty for all things I had done to her, and I was planning to make it up to her.
"I won't let anyone else hurt you ever again, just let me know when someone tries to hurt you, and I'll come running to you, even if you're on the other side of the world…"
I was shaking; Bob's attempt to kill us affected me as well, but not in the same way it did to Scout.
"So, were you the one who held my hand when I was having those nightmares, Jem?"
"Yes…"
Scout looked down, and she smiled lightly. "Thank you…"
Atticus saw us that day, and he told me that he was proud that I was growing up to be a good older brother.

I was glad that I had Scout for a sister, and I was also glad that she and Dill were dating. You're probably wondering why I trusted Dill so much, aren't you? Well, to make a long story short, I started thinking about what if Scout and Dill got together, and naturally I wasn't keen on the idea, but the more I really thought about it, the more I realized that I saw Dill not as a best friend, but as little brother, and I started seeing him in a new light afterwards. Dill was neglected by his folks; he didn't really tell anyone but Scout, and I overheard him on that night, but I pretended that I didn't. It wasn't until the summer of 1936 that he fully admitted it, and by that time, a new lawyer came down to work with Atticus; his name was Samuel Tailor, but we called him Sam. When Sam learned of Dill's issue he took his case immediately, and he succeeded in proving that Dill's folks neglected. He now had custody over Dill, and was trying to move into our house, but our house was small, so he decided to stay at Ms. Rachel's until further notice.
It was now November, and we had decided that Sam could stay in my room, as my room was the biggest; I had no problems with this, but moving his stuff in wasn't easy, needless to say it was a pain, but we got it done, and our room looked similar to a college dorm, which Sam didn't hesitate to note: "Sorry, I turned your room into a college dorm, Jem."
"It's fine…" I responded.
"So, how are Dill and Scout doing?" Sam asked.
"Scout started having nightmares, and Dill stayed with her all night. I don't even know if he had gotten any sleep." I answered.
"I'm still surprised that you and Atticus are okay with him sleeping with Scout and vice-versa." Sam stated.
"Dill, thought the same actually, and he has started giving himself boundaries after that day. What he doesn't know, is that we were testing him to see if he would have noticed that he needed boundaries. Needless to say, he passed." I explained.
"Sounds just like him… Oh, hi Dill." I looked at the doorway, there was Dill tapping his foot, and with his arms crossed; I swore that this kid could just pop up out of nowhere when you least expected it.
"I had a feeling that was the case…" Dill stated.
"Yeah..." I responded. "Do you really think we were going to be okay with you sleeping with my sister?"
"That's what was so confusing," Dill answered. "When I asked Atticus if he was okay with it, and he said that he trusted me, I sighed in disbelief, I didn't think that you were okay with me crossing my boundaries."
"Well, we figured that if you really loved her, than you would have figured it out on your own." I explained.
"That's the way it happened, Dill." Sam stated.
"You're not angry are you?" I asked, worried
"Angry?! Of course not, I really do love Scout, but there are boundaries that just can't be crossed before marriage. I explained this to her, and we both agreed to do certain things, such as sleep together, when we desperately needed it." Dill answered.
"That's good…"
"And how well is going so far?" Sam asked, smirking.
"Pretty well, actually." Dill answered.
Dill looked at his watch, his father gave that to him before he died; it's a long story, but Dill's father was deathly ill, and Dill decided to spend his last few days with him, before he went back to Meridian. That was around 10 months ago at that point, and it felt like years ago. Dill had been through alot, poor kid, and I was glad when he said that he wanted to stay with us; it was really like having a little brother around the house.
"Hey Sam, don't you have to pick up the new school nurse?" Dill asked.
"Oh, that's right, her train will arrive in about 15 minutes." Sam answered, getting his car keys.
"Can we go with you?" I asked.
"Sure." Sam answered.
"I'm going to get Scout." Dill said, heading to her room.
"Alright, don't take long." I responded.
We took Sam's car to Maycomb Junction, and when we got there, we saw a woman with short black hair, a blouse, and a skirt that was cut down from above the knees.
"Why is her skirt cut that low?" I asked.
Scout smacked me in the head, she probably thought I was being a pervert. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Jem!" She scolded.
"I was just asking!" I stated.
"That's just the way she is." Sam got out of the car, and called her name: "Hey Emily, over here!"
The woman, whose name was Emily, came down and said, "Is that you, Samuel? I'll be damned, I didn't think it was possible for you to get any more handsome!"
"Thanks Emily…" Sam said, turning red. Which made all of us chuckle. Sam wasn't really prone to being embarrassed.
"Who are they, Samuel?" Emily asked.
Dill got out first, and introduced himself: "My name is Dill Harris, it's nice to meet you Ms... What's your last name?"
"Just call me, Emily," She answered. "I'm only a few months younger than Samuel here."
"When is your birthday anyway?" Dill asked.
"December 18th." Sam answered.
Scout and I got out next, and I introduced myself: "My name is Jeremy Finch, but everyone calls me Jem."
"Pleasure to meet you, Jem…" Emily said, shaking my hand.
Scout was last to introduce herself. "I'm Jean Louise Finch, but I usually go by Scout."
"Nice to meet you, Scout…" Emily said, smiling.
"Are you a tomboy, Emily?" Scout asked.
"Yeah, why do you ask?"
"She's a tomboy as well." I answered.
"Oh… Well that explains the pants." Emily stated.
"Why is your skirt cut down to your knees, don't people criticize you?" Scout asked.
"They do… I just don't give a damn." Emily answered.
Scout and Emily got along immediately, and all I could think was that Scout has another female friend who isn't her age. However, I just threw that thought aside, and I started wondering what his relation to her was. "Sam, how do you know her?" I asked.
"We went to the same campus, and she was one the first friends I made, along with a guy named, Charlie." Sam answered.
"I was down in Chicago, and I hated every single bit of it! The boss got on my nerves, I had a good mind to quit, and I have taken all I could… Needless to say, when a friend of Sam's said that, they needed a new school nurse down in small town Maycomb, and with that, it was time for me to git up and git, and move to another town!" Emily told.
"Are the cities that bad?" Dill asked.
"No, but I do prefer small towns." Emily answered.
"Another thing, are you a racist?" I asked, firmly.
"Fuck segregation." Emily answered.
"Well, that answers my question." I responded, surprised at her answer.
"I like her already…" Scout stated.
"So Emily, do you like Sam?" Dill asked, elbowing her.
Emily turned a little red, but kept her composure.
"We'll see how it goes." Emily answered.
"Dill, we're gonna catch up with each other, and see where it goes from there." Sam explained.
"Okay." Dill responded, smiling.
We got in Sam's car, and we showed Emily around the neighborhood.
"Where are you staying, Emily?" I asked.
"I'll be staying with a Miss Maudie Atkinson." Emily answered.
"She's a friend of the family, and she is one of the few people in this town who isn't prejudiced." Scout stated.
"I'm assuming you're all part of that few, am I right?" Emily asked, curious.
"Yes," Sam answered. "But Atticus Finch, their father, is against racism, even to the point that he would defend a Negro."
"I know about that case…" Emily responded.
We all looked down, and Emily could tell how that trial affected us, she then explained to us that, she looked up what happened it this town recently, so she knew what had happened to us.
"How's your arm, Jem?" Emily asked.
"It's a bit annoying that it's smaller than my other arm, but other than that it's fine." I answered.
"I'll take a look at it when we get to your fathers." She said.
I was about to protest, but then I remembered that I was on the football team, and I'm no good with a broken arm.

Sure enough, Emily kept her word. She introduced herself to Atticus, and then sat me down.
"Now, let me see it." She demanded.
I rolled up my sleeve, and my hand was still screwed up to hell and back.
"He really did a number to it, but it should be able to properly go back into place by the time you graduate, but don't put too much strain on it or it will break." Emily explained, inspecting my hand.
"So it isn't permanent, Ms. Emily?" Atticus asked, looking hopeful.
"He broke it bad, but the bones should readjust themselves, but when they do, it will hurt like hell." Emily answered.
"Alright, when my hand starts feeling sore, I'll take a leave from football, so it can heal." I said, deciding what was best for me.
"That would be smart…" Emily then looked at Dill and Scout, and they were sleeping hand in hand on the couch, and Emily face told me that she found this adorable.
"Those two are dating, and they serious about their relationship." I explained.
"They're so cute together… I hope they last." Emily stated.
"Have you seen these two?! They're stuck with each other!" Sam responded.
"I guess I'll escort you to Maudie's place." Sam declared.
"That would be great, thanks Sam." Emily responded, as they left the house.
"I hope they get together." I said, outloud.
"I hope they do too, son." Atticus responded.
I took a look at Dill and Scout, and looked pretty comfortable, and in truth I didn't want to wake them, but it was up to Atticus. "Should we wake them?"
"They would be more comfortable in a bed, son." Atticus answered.
"I don't really want to wake them." I admitted.
"I'll do it. You go ahead and get your sleep, son." Atticus said, gently.
"Yes sir."
I headed to my room, and I put my pajamas on. I was happy that Sam had a potential girl, but little did I know was that I was soon about to meet a girl that would catch my eye.