She awoke, eyes blurry, peering around her room. What had happened yesterday? She could barely remember, but she knew she was happy…the first time for almost a week. Deep down she felt guilty because she was happy. Her father had just died, and a mere two days ago she was a sobbing mess, wanting to disappear down a dark hole, never to see light or life again. And today? She was ready to put on her ballet slippers, and practice prancing around her huge ballet room.


Getting out of bed, she noticed a white piece of paper sitting on her dresser. She picked up the paper, and glanced at herself in the mirror that hung on the wall right above the dresser. Her hair was tousled and messy, and the side braid she had so quickly styled yesterday morning before she trudged off for a day, of what she thought, would be pure misery at school, had been only completely destroyed in her night’s sleep.


While reading the piece of paper she smiled, no, beamed at her reflection in the mirror. Right now, her life was where she wanted it to be, the perfect place before she was to start her 17th year of age. Instead of jumping in a bottomless pit, consumed in depression, she was now walking through a field which held brightly colored flowers, the sun shining down on her face. It was what one might say in a totally cliché situation--a totally cliché statement, but she really felt it. And, for the first time in her life, she understood why everyone searched so hopelessly and desperately for love. Not that she was in love, or loved Josh, by any means, it was way too early for that, but she could feel, deep down, that if they continued, love would soon find its way into both their hearts.


About three years ago, Heather had thought she was in love. Of course she was only 13 at the time, but a thirteen year old, desperate to fit in, could talk herself into anything, even if it was so foolish as to thinking she was in love at such a young age. Luke was a perfect boy, or she only chose to see a perfect boy when she looked at him. But the short-lived relationship, a mere two months, ended in unnecessary sadness, a river of tears, and a hatred towards each other that would last a lifetime. Heather’s heart had been broken to shards, shattered, and no one was there to mend it. That’s when she through herself whole-heartedly into dancing, and her father helped her, by playing the piano and being there for her when she needed it. Most people saw her and her father’s relationship strange, some might say inappropriate, but he helped Heather climb out of the deepest pit of her life. And for that, Heather really never ever cared what people had to say about her, or her father.


And now her father was gone, and just when she was about to jump into the same despair as she had been in when Luke had broken up with her because he was moving across the country, Josh had appeared. Heather felt extremely lucky to have at least one person who she could talk to. She didn’t have any friends because everyone thought of her as a high class snob, and she never felt the enough need for friendship to socialize and prove those rumors totally false. Inside, Heather was just a girl, who craved love, but never admitted it to herself. Sometimes she felt unimportant and jaded, other times she felt as if she was unstoppable, unbreakable. It was a never ending field of emotions that played in Heather’s heart, but never the feeling she was better than others.


Hurriedly, Heather tried to rush getting ready for school because, as she looked at the clock, she realized she overslept and only had 20 minutes to get to school before she was late. It was never going to happen, but Heather felt so joyful and hopeful, she felt the need to at least try.