Jovial Memories

Prologue

Author's Note 8/26/2020 Regarding Inaccurate Portrayal of Mental Illness:
Please note, this novel is not an accurate depiction of depression. I wrote this novel back in 2014-2015, during my sophomore year of high school. While I've had my fair share of eating disorders, anxiety, and bouts of situational depression, I do not understand what it is to be clinically depressed. I did not do any research before writing this novel, and so Mandy is often represented as a stereotypically "depressed person." Friendless, always in a bad mood, sad 24/7. This is not how clinical depression works. This is not what a struggle with clinical depression regularly looks like for depressed people. Many have numerous friends, prosperous lives, great jobs, and yet they are still depressed because depression is a disease of the brain. Mandy is situationally depressed, but I tried to write her as a "clinically depressed." Clearly I did not understand the distinction at this young age. I am sorry for writing a less-than-true depiction of a very serious mental illness. I still want to keep this novel up, as I worked hard on it at the time, but I would not hold it up to be an accurate portrayal of depression, so please proceed with caution and know what you are reading is not an accurate portrayal of mental illness. I will not be writing any characters with mental illness without doing my fair share of research in the future.

If you are depressed and experiencing suicidal thoughts, and are located in the U.S., here is the number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255. Never hesitate to take advantage of this hotline as well as other hotlines listed on this site: http://www.pleaselive.org/hotlines/

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             Amanda Wells opened her eyes on a sunny morning in April, finding that her small bedroom seemed to glow a bit brighter than it had in awhile. Stretching her arms and letting out a large yawn, she arose from her bed and touched her feet to the carpeted floor, opening her blinds to find a beautiful spring day.

            It was spring break of 2011, and Amanda (though everyone called her Mandy, a nickname she preferred) could not wait to get outside and enjoy a glorious day away from school and with her best friends in the entire world.

            She glanced up at the circular clock hanging on her ceiling, noticing she had plenty of time before she had to meet everyone. Quickly, she pulled out a sequined blue tanktop and put on a pair of shorts, painting makeup onto her pale face.

            She combed her short chocolate brown hair, applying the last bit of mascara to her eyelashes. Despite being born with dull hazel eyes, the mascara made her eyes stick out, and she smiled in satisfaction, screwing the metal lid onto the container.

            Turning to face her wall, Mandy grinned. Her camera sat on her nightstand, sitting upright and beautiful. On the wall above her bed were several pictures that she had taken over the past years. Mandy had always loved photography, and upon receiving the camera for her twelfth birthday, she had begun capturing every single memory she could remember with a simple click.

            Smiling, she grabbed the camera and swung it around her neck. It would be useful for today.

            Mandy found herself downstairs moments later, turning sharply at the bottom of the stairs and racing towards the kitchen where she could already smell the sweet scent of bacon and omelets prepared especially by her mother.

            Veronica Wells looked exactly like Mandy. They had the same chocolate brown hair, the same hazel eyes, the same dimples, and the same curve of the nose. Of course, Mandy had also gotten her crooked smile and rosy cheeks from her father, Bernard Wells.