2 The Years of Destruction Part 1

Upon entering the house, I quickly adapted to my new environment. Yet, I still stood up for my brothers. The first two months were spent playing video games. I was hooked on the Nintendo 64 by the end of those two months. Only to be quickly thrust into Pre-K at Hutchins Elementary. However, I made the foster parents promise me my brothers would be taken care of properly.

My school year was a blur until midway through. At that time, my teacher, who spoke only Spanish, was going to fail me in English. Yes, this writer was going to fail Pre-K because of an English grade level of 33. After that, my first moment of having a "Never tell me no" mentality showed up. Within a month, I went from never reading to completing the entire section devoted to Pre-K through 1st Grade at the school. Librarians became good friends with me. After two months, I was reading at a 2nd-grade level, and my teacher noticed my grade average was 99. To this day, I thank that teacher.

On the last day of school, I realized I hadn't made any friends my own age that year. And I was also sent to a psychiatrist. The foster parents had said I was having trouble adjusting, as well as having trouble sleeping. Thanks to both of those comments, and them telling my brothers and me to act overactive at the psychiatrist. We were all given ADHD and Mood Disorder medication. Among the medication was Seroquel and Lithium Carbonate. Both considered extremely bad for children but given after an intense discussion with the foster parents. And not just a low dose, but the highest that could be given for our ages. This would come to have major side effects.

The last thing I remember before the summer break was a gift I thought was impossible at the time, and I was the only person this gift was ever given to. I was told by the librarians and the principal of Hutchins Elementary that because I read the entire section for the next few years, I would be allowed to read books reserved for 2nd through 5th graders. This was the year before Percy Jackson And The Olympians The Lightning Thief was released. The year before everything started to get steadily worse at the foster home.