I'm dedicating my friend Ayla who let me use her name. (she doesn't have tourettes).

“First day, first day, first day!” shouted my sister Ayla.

    “your voice is like sharp knives in my ears,” I said.

     Hi my name is Emma and the annoying girl who just shouted is my sister Ayla. I’m going to explain a little bit about my life. Ayla, my little sister has something called Tourette syndrome. I can't explain it all but basically sometimes she does stuff she can’t control. It can be annoying but you get used to it.

If you didn’t hear it already, it's the first day of school. I'm going into 8th grade but my sister she’s going into first grade. Sadly our schools are combined so middle school is with elementary school. I’m a little scared for my sister because people don’t really know her so they judge her. I don’t think that’s very fair of them but I guess you can’t change that. 

“The bus is here!” my mom shouted

     Before I walked out of the door I felt a tug on my arm, my mom whispered words I knew were coming.

    “Keep an eye on your sister,” she said quietly

    “Yes mom I know”

    “I mean it, this is new to her. I'm scared people won’t accept her,” she responded with sounding like she's terrified.

    “I will make sure she’s ok,” I responded trying to ease her horrified face.

    “Thank you have a good day,” she said more calmly

    Before I knew it we were at school, at this point I didn’t know if I was excited or petrified.

    I got through the first half of the day fine but then it was recess. Our middle school is weird, many middle schoolers don’t have recess but we do. I don’t actually mind it because I love playing baseball, i'm good at sports, my mind works well with my body. The fresh dirt smells so refreshing to me. Not today. 

    “Emma, Emma, Emma!”

    No, no no I thought to myself it can’t be her. I tried to ignore her. I really tried and I knew it was wrong but I couldn’t. Then my heart dropped, hearing laughter but it’s not the same laugh it’s the laugh we always get when we’re out in public, when my sister is with us, the humiliating laugh.