This is the first episode where I begin sharing my experiences from eighth grade, a year that brought both new beginnings and emotional turning points.

In this chapter, I talk about how my dad initiated contact for the first time, the moment I officially became a ward of the state, and how it felt to be photographed and listed for adoption online. I also open up about a humiliating incident tied to the mess in my room, early teenage relationships, red flags others began to notice, and the small but meaningful freedoms I was finally allowed.

It’s an honest look at a pivotal season that shaped how I saw myself, what I believed I deserved, and how I learned to keep surviving in a world that didn’t always feel safe.