The period of after school specials

December 27, 2021

By Joy Lynn Clark

Note: this is my third story today.

I got my first. Pretty young. It was the sixth grade and I thought that I was very ill. I was watching a ton of after school specials and I thought that I had every illness and condition that teens and preteens could get. Depression, teen pregnancy, bulimia/anorexia, leukemia, sexual abuse, gangs, And a host of other things that I really had no idea about at this age.

I told my mom that I wanted to model and she booked me a shoot with a professional photographer.

I Didn’t bleed much at all but, somehow I had the worlds worst cramps. I was spotting slightly and getting away with the occasional tissue method. Every girl on those after school specials acted like they were going to bleed through their clothes. I was expecting some huge bloody mess. Also, the girls on the special and in my health class never mentioned the cramps.

Every night I would watch the news concerned about my possible stomach cancer.

Mom and I travel to my photo shoot for my portfolio. I woke up in a cold sweat. I almost wanted to cancel but my mom paid for this. I also have the biggest pimple I’ve ever had in my life. I do my best to try and look nice but I looked horrible. I was really insecure. Then came the cramps. Mom spent all that money and I felt really bad because I hated those pictures.

When we got back to moms place my underwear was ruined. I finally had to speak to her because a square of tissue just isn’t gonna work this time.

Mom explained the period to me. She also gave me some painkillers and a pad. For the past year I have been writing and fantasizing about all sorts of horrible stories just because I didn’t know about my period. I am now 12.