Growing up can be difficult.

     But it can be even harder for you if you have challenges in your way. Or even people. Tourette Syndrome is my challenge. It gets in my way. Stuttering. It gets in my way. In life, people always say that everyone is different. And they are. 

     But sometimes, being different can set you apart from the crowd. But it also gives you a superpower that some other people wouldn't be able to have. A superpower to identify who is a good person. 

    But being different also gives you a voice. And I have a voice. I speak up for others, myself, and just for things that are right. And that is why I have earned the nickname 'Speaker of the School.' I may not be speaker of the house yet, but at least my fellow 8th graders name named me 'Most Likely to Succeed'. 

     But life was going fine. Until we decided to move over 230 miles away from my home in Savannah. We moved to a place called Daytona Beach, and now 'Speaker of the School' should now be called 'Quiet Kid of the School'.

     But as it always does -whether you want it to or not- life goes on. And it did for me. We (My mom, dad, little sister Millia, and my older brother, Ozias) moved from Savannah to a sunny town filled with about 300 elderly people. 

     There was a school, but it combined all grades into one tiny building. For all I know, I could be the only 8th grader. I brought my concerns up to my mom, but she was no help.

     "Sweetheart, it'll be fine. Maybe you'll be with your brother or sister in a class or two. You see, when I was a kid..." I pretty much tuned out after she said the first sentence. Dad was also no help.

     "Get over it, Yvonne. Your there to learn, not make friends who will distract you from what's important." Then, he just left to go unpack, leaving me in the kitchen of this new and very small house. 

     I went to my room, and lied down on the hard, cold wooden floor. "What are you doing?" Asked a voice. I instantly jumped up and saw Millia looking at me. I got up off the floor and looked at her. 

     "I am lying on the floor, Millia." I spoke. "I just miss home. Savannah. You know?" She looked at me like I'm a crazy person.

     "Yvonne, this is our home now. Why can't you just accept that and move on?" Ozias said, appearing out of nowhere. Ozias or OZ was the kid in the family that outshone the rest. He had the best grades, and unlike me was quiet and reserved. 

     Even though I was voted most likely to succeed, my parents didn't care. You see, being the middle child is rough. You have to live in the shadow of your older sibling, and you have to be a role model for your younger sibling.

     It is hard. 

     But let me tell you what got my parents attention. Last year, I was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. It's a neurological disorder, in which I have uncontrollable tics. But when my parents learned about that, they became the all-over-you parents that I wished that I wanted. 

     But when the Dr. said it wasn't serious, they went back to being cold parents. Parents who didn't care about me. I also almost wanted to cry when I heard that I had Tourette. I finally found the answer to why my eyes were blinking so Offen, and why I was making humming noises. 

     "Hello, Yvonne?" OZ said. "Are you there? Do you need to go to a Dr. Link?" 

     I glared at him, and he looked at me with some sort of disgust in his eyes. Older sibling privileges suck. I decide to get away from OZ and Millia and go help out Mom and dad. I see them taking out boxes filled with stuff from our old house. Our old life in Savannah. 

      That night, Mom and Dad treat us out to Ice Cream on the beach. It was a perfect night. But bring in OZ to ruin it. He was shooting me death glares the entire time because of the way I was eating my ice cream. He made it a point to use his napkin and wipe his face after every bite. Did I also mention that OZ was a part of the mathletes? 

     But, besides being my parent's little baby boy, OZ was nothing special. I mean, he wasn't voted most likely to succeed (He was voted best at math). He also wasn't the principle's favorite.

     But I was. I wish I could just get rid of Millia and OZ and be the center of attention for once. And then my tics started up. But this time, it was bad. I yelled a loud "Ah!" and my parents all looked at me. So did OZ, Millia, and a few other beach goers enjoying this perfect evening. 

     I tried to cover my mouth, but it was too late. I had a new tic. A worse tic. My parents were now on their phones, franticly texting people and looking at me. I got nervous and saw OZ and Millia whispering to each other. I hoped that they weren't doing some favorite sibling gossip or something. 

     I scooted over to them. "Are you talking about me behind my back?" I asked. "Are you conspiring against me or something?"

     They nodded their head no. But I felt that something fishy was going on (No pun intended). I had to get them to speak up. "Well then what are you talking about?" I asked. They looked at each other. But the most unexpected words came out of Millia's words.

     "Because" she said "We're concerned about you, Yvonne. A new tic, and this move. I think there connected. What about you, Ozias?" He nodded and for the first time ever, I felt to shocked to speak. 

     "Listen Yvonne." OZ spoke. "I'm sorry about being mean to you, but I'm just making sure that your ok." 

     I wished he hadn't. I didn't know if he was genuine, but he was OZ. And OZ was probably just as real as the Oz in 'The Wizard of Oz.' I looked at him, with wonder in my eyes. I wondered if he really cared about me. I wondered if Millia cared about me. I know that my Mom and Dad didn't.

     But, by the time that Mom and dad were off of their phones, OZ and Millia were back to talking. I hated so much that they were just leaving me out of the conversation, but maybe they had a reason for it. I highly doubted that it was anything nice they were saying, but who knows. My birthday is in 3 months, so maybe their discussing a gift for my birthday. 

     Mom and Dad turned to me. "Yvonne." Dad said. he cleared his throat after he said my name to make sure that i had his full blone attention. It's what he always does. "Your mother and I have decided to give you the master room."

     The look on OZ's face was priceless to say the least. I was ecstatic. My own room! In a house with only 2 rooms, I, Yvonne Jane McKim get my own room! This was thrilling. OZ and Millia looked very mad. 

     "But mom and Dad" OZ said, trying to get that room. "I have worked so hard this year! I've always had my own room! I don't want to share it with Millia. Please reconsider!"

     "But I'm the youngest! I should have my ow room!" Millia said, glaring at OZ and then turning her glare towards me. "Besides, I'm going to be a teenager soon and I will need my own room!" 

     "Millia, your 10!" Mom said. 

     "I don't care!" All of my other friends have their own room! Why shouldn't I?"

     "Millia, OZ! Enough!" Dad roared. We all fell quiet, looking at dad. "The room goes to Yvonne. If you can't live with it, I don't know what to tell you."

     I agreed with dad. I was the one getting the room, but I agreed with dad's statement. if you can't be happy for one person, you can't be happy at all basically. if she can't have the room, none of you can have the room.

     Eventually, mom explained the reason why I got my own room. "Yvonne is, um, different." She started off by saying. "She has to deal with something you don't and she might need this room to vent in. I belive that she needs it a little more. Millia, once OZ moves out, we will Talk about giving you the other room. But for now, OZ and Millia, you two will have to share the guest room."

     I smiled. "Thank you mom. Thank you dad." I said as we were walking home. It felt like a dream come true.