sammy pepperwood d10 fin

I don't know what my brothers are talking about. Being thirteen is awesome. I get away with pretty well everything, I have no responsibilities (save for a few chores on the farm), and I'm the cutest, most lovable baby of the Pepperwood family. Thad's the oldest - the troublemaker. I always joke that Mom's too busy focusing on keeping him in line that I get to do whatever I want - which is true! I fully embrace my youngest child privilege! Then there's Harmon - I think he's so cool, but he doesn't seem to think so. Larry's the middle, He's my favourite 'cause he's the nicest to me. Alex, the second youngest, always teases me and sometimes I get real annoyed with it.

What do I like to do for fun? Well, I like to talk. A lot. Talkings my favourite. There's so many things in this world you can talk about - the weather, the ice cream shop down the street and how mint chocolate chip is most definitely the most ultimate GOAT (greatest of all time, Alex taught me that one), how chips and dip is probably the best snack food ever, or the new kittens the barn cats just gave birth to, or-

Sorry. I know I talk too much. Alex always tells me I need to quiet down and let other people talk sometimes. I don't really understand, people seem to like to listen. Especially the old ladies in the District Square, 'cause whenever I go down there to hand out advertisement papers for the farm, they always pinch my cheeks and tell me how cute and well-mannered I am. Sometimes it's embarrassing, but the old ladies always like listening to me, and I love talking, so it's a win-win. I think I can handle a little embarrassment if it means someone is willing to keep me company.

Speaking of embarrassment, I don't really feel it all that often. Who cares what other people think? Life is too short to waste your thoughts on being self-conscious. I always tell Harmon that, but I don't think he listens too well, because he's always worrying. Worrying is a wasted emotion to me - you gotta be optimistic about life! Fate is undeniable and if you always think the worst, you're never going to get the best!

Ugh, sorry. What was I talking about again? Oh yeah, what I like to do in my spare time. Uh, I spend a lot of time with my family. Yeah, families really important to me. We all bicker but it's all in good fun, even when Alex teases me I try not to get too upset 'cause that's just the way he is, and we love each other all the same. Also, my big brothers are super cool. Like Thad? He tells me all these stories about going out and partying with his friends and all the trouble he gets into and I'm like wow! I wanna come! But he always tells me I'm just a kid, and I wouldn't belong with him and his friends. One time, I stole a beer bottle from him and drank it and ended up getting tipsy. It was so cool (even though I threw it up two hours later - pro-tip, a pint of ice cream and beer do not mix ). I'm so excited for when I can go out with Thad and see what the world hides from us kids.

I also spend a lot of time at school, I guess like most kids. I actually like school, learning new things is super fun. I'm not really too good at writing - my spelling kinda sucks and I always go off topic, my teacher says, but I always hand my work in on time and give it my best effort and that's all that matters, she says. My favourite part though? Talking with all my classmates. If I didn't say it before, I looooooove talking. I have a lot of friends - they're so different in so many different ways, like some of them are farmers kids, some of them are super quiet and let me do all the talking, some swear a lot and get in trouble, others are real nerdy and like talking 'bout Hunger Games lore (which is fine, I guess, but I like to talk a lot more than I like to listen).

I'm pretty popular, I guess I could say, but no one really likes to hang out with me away from school. I don't have a real best friend or anyone who is always there, which kinda sucks. Sometimes - rarely, but sometimes - I get sad, and I don't really know who to talk to. Alex is only a year older than me but he's kind of a dick so I can't talk to him. The rest of my brothers are too old to understand. It feels lonely, in some way? I don't know how to describe it, but it feels like... I'm surrounded by so many people, yet no one is there at all.

Oh well though. I love life - adventures, discovering new things, going on walks, the whole works. I try to convince everyone of the joys of life, but so many people are caught up in the negativity they often just get annoyed and walk away. But I say, c'est la vie, all the more things for me to enjoy! I do hope one day someone will finally understand the way I see things. It would be nice to have a real friend by my side.