When I thought life was going faster after becoming friends with Erin, I didn't expect it could go any faster. Suddenly it seemed, my days were running together at the speed of light. Go to school, gym, eat, homework, and bed. My weekends were spent hanging with Erin until it was time for me to go to the dojo. The first couple of weeks my body was loosening. Slowly becoming used to the fluid movements and hard work, I felt bone tired. Then, it seemed to invigorate me. I felt energetic and care free. My parents noticed the change in me and when I told them why, they became ecstatic. Knowing I was learning to defend myself AND having a change in my usual mood brought smiles their faces. At the end of that first month I felt brand new. I had made new friends and become adept at the basically everything our master had taught us. He sang with my praises without knowing my motive was literally a fight or die situation. I was done running from the things that scared me. And with my new attitude and my hardworking, I won an entire month of free classes along with a private class twice a week as well. Everything