That day after I broke down in front of Jessica, we became best friends. After that I knew what real friendship was. And that I didn't have to go in this alone. I didn't have to deal with all of my fucked up problems on my own. Now I had Justin and Jess to help me. And we were the JS squad- Julie Stevens, Jessica Stuart, and Justin Sells-burg. No one could mess with us. Not even Michelle and Sean who I had permanently cut out of my life, not even bothering to tell Sean how I felt seeing as how he didn't deserve that now. Mainly, I just tried to focus on the positive so I could get my life back on track.

Putting the pieces back together of incidents in my life that had traumatized me wasn't going to be an easy process, but with my two best friends I was learning to deal with it. And slowly I was beginning to heal from all of it.

When middle school was finally over and high school was about to begin, I couldn't help but smile and be glad that I'd have both Justin and Jessica to help me through it and keep me from going insane. Because for some reason, I felt that this time in my life would be the turning point and change everything that had once been negative into a positive. So I was looking forward to it and new beginnings.

As my dad pulled over to the curb I couldn't help but smile and feel relieved as I gazed out of the window and up to the front steps of my new high school.

"I'll see you later," my dad stated solemnly, not at all enthused as I was for this day; he didn't even try to fake it.

"Yeah, okay. Bye." I was only too eager to get out of the car instead of wait for him to feign joy or happiness so as I stepped out I didn't even look back as I slammed the door and made my way to the huge front doors of McKinley High School.

'Just take deep breaths and giant steps at a time and you'll be fine,' I repeated to myself over and over inside my head. Maybe that way no one would be able to tell I was a freshman.

As I reached the top of the steps to the entrance of the school I paused and turned to look back down the stairs and past even that to the huge, nice green lawn in front of the school, and then back to the road which was lined with cars.

I smiled and took a deep breath of the refreshing morning air, trying to take in my first moments of high school.

"Hey there, stranger!" I gasped and quickly spun around to the cheery voice. "And those features just keep changing after each summer at that camp! Geez, Jewels, what are they doing to you over there?"

"Jess!" I shrilled and gave her a huge hug which she returned. "Hey, girlie, I've missed you all summer!"

"I know! Tell me about it! It was exhausting only having Justin to talk to the entire summer. I was and still am in desperate need of some girl talk."

I laughed and said, "Sorry. I got nothing."

"Nothing?" Jess gaped in horror. "Not even some hot military-boot-camp gossip?"

I shook my head. "There's really no time to socialize and get into drama. The sergeants put an end to those before they can even break out. Plus all they make us do is work out in different sectors and in groups that often stay the same but can sometimes change up to see how certain people work together. And get this, is they like the pairing up certain teams they'll keep them together and if they continue to do well they get honors and badges and stuff."

Jess nodded. "Sounds way too complex and strict for me to grasp. But that doesn't sound all too exciting." She frowned. "I was hoping you'd finally have some guy gossip for me."

I smiled and asked, "As in the kind I'm interested in dating?"

"Duh!"

I laughed and Jess rolled her eyes at me.

"Oh, come on! You're trying to tell me that while you do all these exercises and training with all that military attire that none of those guys caught your interest?"

"None," I responded truthfully.

"You didn't one without a shirt and a gorgeous chest to gaze upon?"

"There were plenty without shirts on and lots with tank tops and all that jazz and every single one had muscles as well as toned abs and a toned chest but none of them were the type of guy I could seriously see myself dating. Plus, have you even met my father? He'd flip out if he knew or anyone I liked."

Jess sighed. "You go all summer looking at hot guys and their bare chests and yet you brush it off in passing. So sad."

"Jess, really. Only a few could be possible hot guy potential but I would never, ever date someone in the same field of work I'm in. No one with a military-like background. I just want normal once I'm through with all this training stuff."

"Well at least you only have college left to go before you're a free woman. Or even after high school. Which probably seems miles away at this point but I'm sure will fly right by!"

"Always the optimist."

"That's me!"

I laughed and said, "So… first day of high school!"

"Absolutely! Are you excited? Scared?"

"A little of both."

"Me too! But I'm sure it'll be okay! Ready to go to class?"

I took a deep breath and gazed toward the ominous looking school building.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I said on an exhale.

"Good! Let's go!"

I nodded as Jess and I made our way through the crowd of kids and doors that led into McKinley High School.

I just hoped this school would be a fresh start and better experience than middle school.