Danielle Knight 2-20-14 CRT Shroom of the Hood She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink, but some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child. ~Barbara Alpert. When I read this quote it automatically stuck into my head. It reminded me of the relationship I have with my own sister, whom I love dearly. She is a mirror- reflecting me back at me, she is my ray of sunshine that always filters through the deep dark and stormy clouds, she is the cop that always seems to catch me in the act and then helps me get out of trouble as my lawyer, she is the one person I turn to when I need to do something and I know I need assistance, she is a teacher when I struggle with my homework or even the simplest things like people at school, and then so much more. April is a one of a kind person that I’m glad is a part of my life. I admire her for so many reasons though. Her strength, her openness, her optimism, counseling, loving nature, the sisterly bond that she created between us, her ability to understand when nobody else could, her past that she had to fight through, and the way she can deal with the things she does. She is the kind of person that I would want to be like when I’m older. Now, first things first. April is about 5 feet tall, fit, tanned, extremely strong though her petiteness hides it, her once waist length hair is now a couple inches from her head making it into a boyish style, her eyes are a deep and dark chocolate brown, freckles line her shoulders and 1 Danielle Knight 2-20-14 CRT nose, and below her right eye beside her nose is a light brown birthmark. She is extremely pretty though she tries to hide it by having a tomboy appearance about her. When people see her they see the pretty face, the perfectly tanned skin, the short hair, the boyish tint she puts on, and probably a young girl trying to figure things out. Others see her with a cigarette, her hair all jumbled up, her girlfriend (yes, she is a lesbian), and her friends. People judge at face value and don’t try to get past the façade she throws between her and the rest of the world. I do. I know that she is beautiful in her own unique way that lights up the room, I see the looks in her eyes when she sees a person who she has met before and doesn’t like, I know that she smokes because she got caught with the wrong crowd and got out with that one habit, she is a lesbian because she feels like it’s easier to connect with chicks rather than guys (and people can’t seem to stop judging her on that), I know that her hair is short because when she went into the army she didn’t want to deal with it so she cut it all off, and I know the things people won’t stick around to figure out. I know them because when things happened, I was there to help her through them. People always judge a book by its cover, not picking it up to see what’s on the inside. Another piece you should know is her past. Her past may seem kind of average, but I assure you that if you take a closer look it is most definitely not. When April was about 7 we moved from Wichita to Virginia. A while later we moved from Virginia to Georgia. Then Georgia to Florida. Then Florida back to a different part of Georgia. Then from Georgia we moved back to this flat place- Kansas. By that time she was 15. She had already been through a lot with all the moving, we all had. To top this new place off we got to go through our parents’ divorce. That was ridiculous. They literally had just had a child and then decided they didn’t 2 Danielle Knight 2-20-14 CRT want to be together anymore. Oh, and the Brandon, our brother, was taken to jail for doing drugs. When he gets out, the same things happened, and so he went to rehab. When he came back he was okay for a while until he decides to start having relationships. In his relationships he hurts a couple of her friends, which doesn’t go over well for her. Then Brandon and Christopher start being jerks and don’t get along with April, making her feel like crap. She then decides to leave this pathetic and painful place and join the National Guard. Six months later we visit her- she has almost completely changed from the petite girl into this buff soldier. She then goes to AIT for six more months. When she comes home everything finally seems to be okay, but of course something has to come and screw it up. Friends began to turn on Brandon, but still liked to hang out with April. Brandon and April don’t get along now. Then add a new job, her own place, new friends and the old ones, new girlfriend, and then we come to here, February 2014. Yeah, things have happened. She’s gone through some difficult things, made it through with barely any of her left- she has changed a lot. Her past defines her, as it does us all. Our past is a part of us that molds us into who we need to be. Seems like I’ve talked about her in general, but not specifically about her in the way only I knew her. Okay, think back to when I said she went to basic training, then AIT, then came home. During that time we went through a lot more than really any other time. That’s when I learned to know her the most. So, during that time, she wasn’t really allowed to use her phone to call, text, or message us so she wrote letters. Before she ever got the chance to leave I sent her a letter. I told her I was sorry for always being a butt, never leaving her alone, being annoying, etc... When she got to the base she received the letter. She contemplated what to tell me, but 3 Danielle Knight 2-20-14 CRT eventually found the right words and sent me a letter one week later, telling me how it was never that way, that I wasn’t that way, that it only appeared so in my mind. She explained to me how it was, and frankly- I was shocked. I never felt like I was anything more than a pain in the neck to her. I guess I never felt like I was a part of the family because I was always so different, still am. While April was away we sent letters almost every other week always in order because we both are that way- we can’t stand unorganization, it really bugs us. I learned what happened behind the scenes. I began to understand her as a best friend more than just sisters. I know people say that sisters are closer than any friend, but I believe it’s different. A sister is a best friend with no boundaries to separate them. One more thing and then I can wrap this up for you. It seems right to me to tell whoever is reading this some things about April in detailed memories. Certain memories that only she and I have that I believe really will make you understand her. Now, I can’t really share the ones I favor because I know that whoevers reading will not approve in the least bit or will find them really weird and embarrassing. The title is Shroom of the Hood not because she is a druggie gangster person, but because she likes Mario. It’s her favorite game and her favorite characters. She used to have a shirt, wallet, and shoes that all had the same little level up mushroom on them. On the hood of the shirt, the mushroom was there smiling. I looked at her with a “serious face” and told her to stop being so leveled up. She looked me with a confused grin upon her face. I then on forward started calling her Shroom of the Hood. Another memory was about 2 years ago, when I was home ‘sick’ from school. I wasn’t doing so great then. When I stayed home sick- it wasn’t because I had a fever, it was because I had things going on, on the inside. Things 4 Danielle Knight 2-20-14 CRT were going on that seemed too much to deal with, and so I pushed to stay home. The original plan for that day was to sit at home by myself and feel really terrible. All by myself. Then mom decided to tell April to stay home with me. Well, Prio (another nickname) had had plans so she just kinda brought them with her. Her friend at the time- Taylor came over and all three of us just hung out for a while. Then Prio decided she wanted to clean- she saw past my “I’m sick” act and made me help out. We cleaned up- the whole time there was something kinda funny about the way they were dressed. They wore everything except a shirt. To me it was amusing and embarrassing, but to them it was just kinda average I guess. They joked about me being the only one wearing ‘enough clothes’, but I kept my shirt on. They are hilarious, and I wish they were both friends. I know that some things have happened and they aren’t friends because of it, and I know that whatever the reason- it must be legit enough to not tell me. Now, to sum it all up, my sister is one heck of a chick. She can be the most loving person, evil criminal, adorable child, tomboy, and just a regular person. There is something hidden behind that face though…. A true friend that I hold near and dear to my heart. I love her, and I honestly hope that I could be like her. She is talented, strong, loving, understanding, has one heck of a background, some toughly amazing friends, is a smarty pants, and is my sis. If I could be like anyone in particular, I would really like to be like my sister, the Shroom of the Hood A.K.A- April Knight. 5