How old were you when you got your first period?

How old were you when you got your first period and what was it like? I probably have the most embarassing story! I am a sophmore in highschool and I got my first period when I was 11 in the 5th grade. I remember it was September of 5th grade and we were all sitting there quietly doing our work. My stomach started feeling weird and kind of painful. Suddenly I felt "down there" get really warm. I didn't think much of it but a few minutes later I looked down and saw blood all over the crotch part of my pants. I ran to the teacher and asked her if I could go to the bathroom. When I got to the bathroom I pulled down my pants and there was blood EVERYWHERE!! I got dizzy and I felt like I was going to throw up and my mind was going everywhere. I didn't have any pads or anything because I wasn't expecting it. I didn't want to go to the nurse or anything so I tied a jacket around my waist covering my blood soaked pants. I was devastated. When I got home I was to scared and embarrassed to tell my mom. I didn't tell her for 4 months until one day we were in the dressing room at the mall and I was on my period. I was trying on pants and I told her I didn't want to try them on and she made me. She saw the toilet paper stuffed in my underwear and said "Katherine, did you get your period?" And I said "um... maybe, I dont know.". It was soooo embarassing! She got me pads that day and I never told her I actually got my first period four months earlier.