Dreams Do Come True

The dilemma

Tuesday 7.00 A.M.

My alarm goes off and I feel like dying. Today is the day. Today is the last day with Ellie as a friend. Today Clara and Gavin are going to ruin our date and our friendship. I don't want to get up. I turn off my alarm and turn around. I try to fall asleep again and hope to never have to wake up. Mason comes in my room. 

'Anna, what are you doing? Get up! We have to go to school.'

'I don't wanna go to school', I mumble.

'Come on. Just ignore them and enjoy your date.'

'HOW CAN I ENJOY MY DATE IF THEY ARE GONNA BE THERE!?', I scream louder then I wanted. 

'If Ellie really likes you, she won't care about those losers. She'll care about you and take them down. She'll protect you.'

'You think?'

'I know.'

He smiles at me and instant happiness enters my body. I get up, eat breakfast and go to school. Gavin and Clara are looking at me. I stay close to Mason. He notices my fear and grabs my hand. 

'She'll just care about you', I read in his eyes. 

His facial expression says everything. Karla meets us in the hallway and hugs Mason. He let's go of my hand I feel like my world is crumbling down. I feel so vulnerable. I feel like everything can take me down, right here, right now. 

All day long, Clara and Gavin tease me about our 'date' tonight. When the day is finally over, I decide to walk home. I have to be alone for a bit. I go to my quiet spot. 

After an hour of drawing, flipping through the notebook and staring at the water, I go back home. Nancy, Sam and Karla are there. As I enter, Karla pulls my upstairs and starts putting makeup on my face. Nancy goes through all of my clothes to find the perfect outfit. Sam puts on some happy music and Mason just looks at us from the doorway. He leans against the open door with his arms crossed. He smiles a little. Especially when no one replies after I ask what's happening. 

'You only have 20 minutes left for your date. This is very important, Anna. You need to look FABULOUS!', Karla says. 

'20 minutes? Date? Important? Guys, are you even listening to me? I'm not going.'

Everyone drops their things and stares at me. Mason's smile disappears. 

'What do you mean? Of course you are, silly!', Nancy says.

'No. I thought about it and I realized that there is no way to save my friendship with Ellie. It's ruined. I'm not going.'

Mason quietly turns around and walks away. I can tell he's disappointed. Karla puts down the makeup brush and stares at me.

'You are the weirdest kid I ever met', she says and walks away.

I don't understand why everyone is so disappointed. It doesn't concern them. This is my choice. My life. My decision. My friendship. 

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School's over and I walk straight to the bridge. I ignore everyone and everything around me. When I arrive, I don't walk on the bridge. I take a small path, next to the street, that leads me to a familiar place. John's home.

'Anna! You're back! But why are ya here, and not up there?', he asks while pointing at my favorite spot.

'I need your help. Clara and Gavin are planning on ruining my date so I don't want to go but now Mason's upset and I don't know what to do now-!'

'Whoa! Slow down, kiddo.'

I take a deep breath and  explain him everything. He starts thinking.

'That's a tough one...', he says.

'Please, I really need your help.'

'Take the girl to a different place.'

'I can't, Clara still has my phone so I can't reach Ellie.'

'Hmm..' 

He puts his hand in his hair and thinks very hard.

'I GOT IT!', he screams in my ear.

'What!? Tell me!'

'Ya dress up as a police officer, run to that girl, arrest her and then take her out for dinner. BAM. Instant romance!'

'That is the dumbest idea I've ever heard.'

'Well, I'm sorry okay!? I don't know. It's not like I'm some sort of love expert. I'm not the one with a girl.'

'What do you mean? Where's Stacy?'

'She left me.. for someone else..', he says sadly.

'Left? She's a blowup doll.'

'A DOLL?! IF SHE WAS JUST A DOLL, THEN EXPLAIN WHY I LOVED HER SO MUCH!'

His face turns red and I realize I upset him.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that.'

'It's okay.. That's probably why she left.'

'Because I didn't mean it like that?'

'No, ya dumbhead. Because I keep losing my temper.'

John and I talk for a while, trying to figure out what I have to do. I have to go, but I can't go. This is the worst thing ever. After a while he says:' Listen kiddo, as much as I'd like to help ya, you're just gonna have to figure out what's more important to ya. Ellie or your self-esteem.'

Ellie or my self-esteem?