Ray 1

Jaden Ray

Ms. Wilson

First period

Feb. 28

Finding Myself

It started in October, the day before Halloween. I ended my relationship with my

boyfriend. We dated for 10 months, and the relationship was healthy until the last few months.

We went through a lot of issues, and our arguments always seemed to end up breaking me down

and building him up. He struggled with a lot of anger, and he thought he could get what he

wanted without talking about it. I realized that he was the reason I was in such a bad place, so I

broke up with him. After breaking up with him, I was not happy for a very long time. I knew I

needed to change something in my life. In November 2017, I started to learn more about myself.

I learned that I was bisexual.

When I looked at myself, I knew something was missing. I realized that I liked girls the

same that I liked boys. I had never known anyone was felt like this way too, so it was hard to me

to tell myself it was okay. I did a lot of research, and saw that there were a lot of people like me.

There was a whole community that show support, love, and pride. I started to accept myself and

soon I was able to admit to myself I was bi. Even though it was better that I accepted myself, all

I could think about was if other people would accept me. I feared losing friends, and never

thought I would tell my family. I didn’t want to because we don’t have anyone in my family that

has ever talked about it in a good way. I feared that my family would have a hard time accepting

me, and wouldn’t want me to be. When I did tell my friends, some of them were very accepting,
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yet others didn’t like it and left. I understood that not everyone was going to accept me, and I

was okay with it. The hardest loss was one of my best friends. I was very scared to tell her,

because I wasn’t sure how she would react. When I finally told her, she seemed so happy for me

and excited. The next day, she ignored me and didn’t sit with me at lunch anymore. She wouldn’t

answer my texts and started talking about me behind my back. I learned to ignore people that did

that, but it was hard to accept that my best friend didn’t like me anymore.

For a while after that I was alone, until I found two friends that helped me so much.

Liana and Brianna were my people. They were right off the bat so loving and nice. Liana was a

main part of my life, and always helped me when I was down. After Bri and Li helped me with

being happy and loving myself, I finally told my mom. I told her in a terrible way, but she was

very surprised. At first she didn't know what to say, but then she was frustrated with me. She

didn't believe me for a very long time. She thought I was just saying this, and didn’t understand

what it was. We didn’t have a very good relationship for a while, and that was very hard for me

because I am always so close with my mom. She is the one person I can always go to, and it

wasn’t like that for a while. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I told her, but even though it was

hard, I had to be okay with her not understanding.

After a few months, I met my first girlfriend. We worked really well together for a long

time, but towards the end we fell out of love, and decided we work better as friends. When we

started dating, that was a big stage for my mom and I. She was so nice about it and I finally felt

like we had our relationship back. Throughout dating Alex, I felt a love I had never received

before. It was a different relationship than I had ever had. It had more love and understanding
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than I had ever seen before. My mom saw this and saw how happy I was, so I believe she

accepted me because of this and wanted me to be happy.

It took a lot to get there, and to accept it. I went through a lot of self doubt, a lot of losing

friends, and it took a very to long time to be able to say that I was bisexual. I had to go through a

lot to find myself, and I had to learn many hard lessons.When I look back on my life, I always

see this as my biggest growth. While going through this, I learned to accept myself, to not live by

others approval, and I became a better version of myself. I found friends that accept me and are

good people. My family is so loving, and I am closer to my mom than ever. I have changed for

the better, and it was all worth it.

Narrative Essay Rubric (Honors)

Score: /50
W.9-10.3​. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and
well-structured event sequences.
Standard
3.a​. ​Introduction​ -
Engage and orient the
reader by setting out a
problem, situation, or
observation, establishing
one or multiple point(s)
of view, and introducing
a narrator and/or
characters; create a
smooth progression of
experiences or events.
8
Exceptional (10-9) Proficient (8-7) Emerging (6-1) Not Evident (0)
❏ Effectively hook the ❏ Hook the reader with
reader with a creative, a compelling hook
original, and
compelling hook ❏ Effectively sets out a
problem, situation, or
❏ Effectively sets out a observation
problem, situation, or
observation in a ❏ Establish an insightful
compelling and/or point of view
creative manner
❏ Introduce a narrator,
❏ Establish an insightful, characters, setting,
original, or creative and main idea
point of view
❏ Introduce a ​complex
and/or creative
narrator, characters,
setting, and main idea

3.b. ​Narrative​ - ​Use ❏ Utilize ​two or more ❏ Utilize narrative

narrative techniques, (teacher discretion)
such as dialogue, pacing, narrative techniques
with purpose:
description, reflection,
dialogue, pacing,
techniques such as
dialogue, pacing,
description,

and multiple plot lines,
to develop experiences,
events, and/or
characters.
8.5
3.c​. ​Organization​ - ​Use a
variety of techniques to
sequence events so that
they build on one
another to create a
coherent whole.
8 create an original plot
3.d.​ ​Language​ - ​Use
precise words and
phrases, telling details,
and sensory language to
convey a vivid picture of
the experiences, events,
setting, and/or
characters.
3.e.​ ​Conclusion​ - ​Provide
a conclusion that follows
from and reflects on
what is experienced,
observed, or resolved
over the course of the
narrative.
8.5
description, reflection,
multiple plot lines,
etc…
❏ Develop experiences,
events, and/or
characters and to
clearly develop a
purposeful theme
❏ Use ​purposefully
narrative techniques
such as
foreshadowing,
dramatic irony,
suspense, and/or
flashbacks in a ​highly
effective manner​ ​to
structure
❏ Create a smooth
progression of
experiences or events
that is logical, ​creative,
and sophisticated ​and
that uses ​highly
engaging devices
❏ Use precise, detailed
and ​sophisticated
words, phrases, and
sensory language​ to
engage the reader ​and
convey a​ ​vivid picture
❏ Provide a conclusion
that reflects on what is
experienced, observed,
or resolved
❏ Extends the meaning
and purpose to
connect to the
audience ​and​ ​convey a
complex and original
theme
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reflection, and
multiple plot lines
❏ Develop experiences,
events, and/or
characters in attempt
to convey theme
❏ Use appropriately
techniques such as
foreshadowing,
dramatic irony,
suspense, and/or
flashbacks
❏ Create a smooth
progression of
experiences or events
that is logical and
engaging
❏ Use precise and
detailed words,
phrases, and sensory
language to convey a
vivid picture
❏ Provide a conclusion
that reflects on what
is experienced,
observed, or resolved
❏ Extends the meaning
to convey a theme