A World Of Her Own

Prologue

Everyone has an escape; some people turn their music up so loud that just for a second... they escape to a whole other world. Things such as music and drugs are an escape from reality. I have come to learn that people aren't addicted to drugs or alcohol, they are addicted to the feeling of escaping reality. I've met a lot of people who live a lie... and believe it. Does that make them crazy? Maybe escaping reality is a good thing, maybe even necessary to maintain sanity, but when do we know when it is time to face reality? Truth is, we are all addicted to something that takes away the pain. Don't trust everything you see; even salt looks like sugar.

It was the summer of 2012 and summer camp was starting. On the very first day of camp there were literally hundreds of kids; out of all of the girls there, he saw me. He saw the awkward skinny girl that wore baggy jeans and baggy shirts. He really saw me! What was it that he could have possibly seen? Everyday without fail he would glance in my direction and shoot me a smile, every time without fail it would give me butterflies. One day he finally walked up to me ; my heart started pounding and nervousness took over my whole body.

"Hi." He said

"Hey." I said well staring at the ground.

"Yeah Nate! Get that!" Yelled his stupid friend.

After that my whole demeanor changed. I was annoyed and didn't really want to talk anymore, but I just continued to be friendly and talk with him. I felt like I was going to cry, I felt like a joke, why was I stupid enough to think he was actually interested in me. His friend probably just dared him to talk to me. No one wants to talk to the ugly girl. As the days went on he still continued to smile at me, but I no longer paid attention to it.

Finally, the last day of camp came and to celebrate it we were headed to Darien Lake. When I walked outside there was a line of nearly twenty buses. Hopefully with this many buses I won't be stuck on the same bus as him, or if I do, hopefully he won't be in my eyesight.

I chose a seat in the middle of the bus and luckily no one came and sat down next to me. Actually, I spoke too soon because there he was walking down the aisle of the bus. I tried to hide myself, but it was too late because he saw me. He sat down in the seat in front of me.

"Alright everyone, when the sign in sheet is handed back to you, please write your first and last name on it." Announced the camp director.

He handed the sign in sheet to me with a smile.

"Thanks." I said with a weak smile.

The whole forty five minute bus ride consisted of him looking back at me smiling and me pretending to sleep.

When we arrived at Darien Lake the camp director went through all of the safety precautions and rules, then we were free to go.

Nate turned back to me, " Do you want to hangout together?"

"Sure." I said reluctantly.

"Cool." He said with joy.

When I got off the bus I walked as quickly as I could and got lost in the crowd so he wouldn't follow me. I just wanted to be left alone.

"Hey Sierra!" Yelled my friend Juliette.

"Hey girl hey!" I said.

"What ride are you trying to go on first?" she asked.

"The Superman for sure."

"Alright, Let's go!"

Juliette and I stood in the long line waiting to go on the Superman.

Once we were finally on, I felt the rush at the 100 foot drop. I was screaming my head off, I felt so alive. That was the very first roller coaster I ever been on. It was so much fun! I wanted to go on more!

"What's next?" I asked eagerly.

"I don't know, let's just find something!" Juliette said with excitement.

"Sierra!" I heard someone shout.

Oh my God. I thought.

"Who's he?" Juliette asked.

"This boy who won't leave me alone." I said with irritation.

"What ride are you going on next?" Nate asked.

"Umm...I don't know." I said softly.

"You guys have fun, I'll catch up with you later." Juliette said.

"Oh, okay." I said with disappointment.

Great now I'm stuck with him! I thought.

"What ride do you want to go on?" Nate asked.

"It doesn't matter." I said indifferent.

I followed him to different rides, but something within me changed; I started genuinely enjoying his company. He was so sweet and funny, oh my God was he funny. Maybe, he actually liked me. The whole entire day he was all about me. He bought me fried dough and ice cream and he spent so much money on just trying to win me a huge stuffed animal, which meant the absolute world to me.

"Do you wanna to go on the Ferris wheel?" He asked me.

"Sure." I said with a grin.

He grabbed my hand and we walked to the Ferris wheel hand in hand together. As we stood in line, Nate's stupid friend walked by and shouted, "Yeah Nate, get that!"

I rolled my eyes. Nate looked at me and nudged me with his elbow.

"Don't mind him. "

"Why does he say that when you are with me?"

"Because he knows that I like you, so he's just trying to boost me."

"You like me for real?" I asked shyly.

"Yeah, I do." he said sweetly.

My stomach fluttered with butterflies, he actually liked me. I couldn't possibly see why he liked me though. I felt like I was weird and funny looking. None the less he saw me, and that made me feel special. When we got on the Ferris Wheel I sat close to him and leaned my head on his shoulder. I just took everything in and truth be told, I was on cloud nine.

As that day came to an end, I started to feel sad. I had so much fun with him and he gave me the gift of a very memorable day.

"Would you like to sit next to me on the bus?" Nate asked.

"I would love to, and thank you for such an amazing day." I said sweetly.

Nate smiled, "I'm glad you had fun, I had fun too."

When we got back on the bus, I went to the back with my friends. To this very day I do wish I sat next to him on the way home, because who knows what would have come of it.

The one thing I did on the way back home was talk all about him. My heart was bursting with joy, he really gave me the best day ever.

"Everyone who is taking the city bus home, we are now Downtown." Announced the camp director.

I was getting picked up by mom, so that didn't pertain to me. All of sudden my friends started shouting! I looked up and Nate was standing in front of me, I started blushing so hard.

"Can I get your number?" He asked with so much confidence.

I started to panic a little bit because I didn't have a cell phone. I ended up giving him a fake number and I felt so bad. I handed him the slip of paper with the fake number and gave him a soft smile.

"Cool." I'll call you when I get home." He said.

As I watched him leave the bus from the window my heart sank into my stomach and I felt like I was going to cry because I knew I would never see him again. That summer has come and gone, I never did forget Nate or that day. He was the first boy to see me for me, and he saw beauty when all I saw was ugliness. Little did I know he was never too far away.