It took me 6 years to decide what school I would go to. Which friends I would leave. And which colors suited me most. I had always thought I would be a Hornet. All my friends were going there, so why wouldn’t I. But every time I thought about it, it didn’t seem right. The other school intrigued me. It called me. I always found an excuse to keep it on my mind. But when somebody were to ask me where I was going I always said I didn’t know. Eventually, the time came where I had to choose. I didn’t want the hornets, but it pained me to say I was a devil. I took a chance! And it took a while to accept. But now I have found people who are annoying, loving, funny, and kind who all hold a special place in my heart. Newfound lovers and people I would trust with my life. People I would never have met if I didn’t take a chance. It changed my life for the better.

Change. A strange thing, isn't it? It's something I hate, yet want. Change could be changing your style, hair, interests, or room. It could be a job, school, friends, or family. It's something that could be huge to one person, and small to the next. It’s something I crave, yet am terrified of. What if it’s not what I want? What if it’s a death? A loss? A goodbye? It could be something wonderful. Or something tragic. That’s what scares me. I want change, but what if it’s something bad? Maybe it would be worth it, to try change. But what to change? Hair? Clothes? Room? Maybe try a job? Learn to drive? Learn a new skill? It still terrifies me. Maybe something small for me. A new style. That might do for now. It may seem small, but who knows? It might be something huge for me. Might help with my confidence. My self-love. Then maybe I could try something else. Small steps. I’ll have my family to help me, even if it's with small things. Change might be scary, but It Might Just Be Worth It.

The end.

I can’t do this right now. I can’t look into his deep green eyes. I can’t look at his perfectly curled hair. I can’t look at his beautiful complexion. I can’t.

I’ve been dating Austin for the past ten months. I know I should have ended this sooner, but I didn’t have enough guts to break his heart. He wasn’t good for me. Every flaw that’s within me came flooding out when I was with him. He brought out the worst of me, while I brought out the best of him.

After a whole week of talking myself into it, I finally decided to end things. I told him in the middle of his kitchen. Probably the worst place, but I had to do it now. I told him I couldn’t pretend to be happy anymore. I told him I needed someone who cared about me and not just how I look or my reputation. I told him I loved him but he wasn’t the person out there for me.

I could see his heart shatter in his eyes. Every memory of us came flooding into my mind. All the times we made runs to the grocery store just to stock up on popcorn for our movies. All the times we cooked dinner around my kitchen counter. All the times we had a stupid fight about stuff that wasn’t even important.

I watched as my words crushed him. I can’t look into his eyes anymore. I can’t do it.

As I walked to the door, I saw his world breaking in his eyes. Just as I saw mine starting to do with every step I’m taking away from him. When I sat in my car, I cried. I cried about hurting him, but also hurting myself. I cried about his funny personality, which was my favorite part of him. I know it had to end even though I didn’t want it to. I wanted to hold his hand and tell him it was going to be okay. That I wasn’t going to leave him and we were going to grow old together. We would get married and have kids. We would love each other with all our hearts.

I could never hold his hand though. This was a choice I made, and I happened to hurt us both in the process. My perfect reality of our relationship was just an illusion, and it broke my whole world.

It was about time for a change. For quite a while I’ve been annoyed with how my days are going. Struggeling to get out of bed in the morning and staying up too late in the evenings. But not anymore. I’ll set a few alarm clocks for tomorrow morning and get up immediately when they go off. No matter how tired I feel, I decide now that I’ will get up. I don’t know how big this change exactly is, but it’s one of the main things that need to be different in my life. I need to seize the day instead of just stumbling through them. In fact, that is quite a big change I would say.

I ran in to the woods so excited thinking man its been a while since i been back here. But i cant wait to see what i will find thought izzy. You now what i will take a new path today i started walking making shure to pay attention to everything.I jumped when u saw it a red fox den i never seen one in person before and now i see one rite now!!! Man will my siblings love to heare about this i ran ti the door when i was stopped by michle.

“Hi michle how are you doing “ “Good ypu i seen you so happy just wanted to see what your so happy about” “Found a red fox den” “Thats cool i got a go” “K bye “

Now where was i yes im going to show my mom and siblings the red fox den i ran up to the door and swung it open.

“Hey come with me i want to show you a fox den”i said exited “No i dont want to” “Ok here look at this picture no go away no one cares about your stupid fox dens and exploring”

“Oh ok” i said as i sulked away man i really thought they wuld like it i gusee its just me well now its not fun any more jm going to bed Izzy said to her self.

Today is the day I change. I'm so excited. I'm getting my hair cut! I'm so excited! I'm sorry, I know I'm saying it again but I am! For the first time in my life I am going to look like myself. I will have hair that sticks up in all directions and doesn't look like a girl's. It's going to be amazing! I want to look like you can't tell my gender. I want people to be so confused they come up to me and ask. Then I have the chance to explain. To explain that I'm not a girl or a boy. I'm neither, something in between and if they ask what that means I can walk away or just tell them to look it up. I just really need someone to ask, just once. Just once I need someone to ask and not assume, to care instead of judge and if they don't understand that's ok. I just hope I don't have to be the same person I've always been: the girl who hates the world because no one knows any better than to use she/her.

My eyes narrowed, locked onto the witch in front of me. She held the runic dagger between us, its runic symbols glowing faintly in the dim room, it’s blade mirroring my reflection. To put it kindly, I looked like hell. The bags under my eyes had deepened, and my untrimmed beard and dirt streaked face were a reminder of how consuming the past few nights had taken its toll on me.

All the pain, the hurt, and-the loss, my heart aching at the latter, have led me to this moment. I worked decades to perfect and practice my craft. To use my powers to protect those who couldn’t defend. To be their savior. Yet it still wasn’t enough to save the people I care about. My friends, the ones I loved, have all gotten hurt or died because of me. Because I wasn’t strong enough. I was naive. I can’t let that happen. I won’t let it happen again. I took a deep breath and reached my hand out to the dagger.

The witch drew the knife back faintly, sneering a smile at me.

“Once complete, you cannot go back, wizard. Dark magic will forever reside in you once the deal has been struck. Even as someone as-“ she paused, her eyes flicking me over with disdain-“noble” she spat, “will be consumed by it.”

“I know what has to be done” I exhaled, glowering at her.

I grabbed the hilt of the blade and raised the steel to my palm. No turning back now, I thought to myself. I swiped the blade across my hand. I clenched my hand, releasing the blood as it streaked and dropped into the cauldron.

The pain in my hand intensified, crippling me down to my knees. The ground began to shake as the shearing pain began to rise through my whole body. Every muscle fiber began to contract stealing the breath from my lungs. I could hear the witche’s cackle growing in octave.

A black smoke began to rise from the cauldron floating inches before my face. It grew in size before it consumed the room and towered over me. It striked like a serpent, colliding into me and coiling into my mouth and into my mind. I began to levitate and convulse as the darkness consumed me entirely. My mind had become renewed and transformed.

I dropped to the ground, catching my balance. I breathed as if I was breathing again for the first time. I felt reborn. I flexed my hands and could feel insatiable power burrow through. I had never felt raw power like this before, and felt disgust in how weak and frail I was before.

Those who wronged me, who brought pain amongst those I cared for, the ones who slaughtered my family will beg for my mercy. I will show them true unforigivng pain. I am their maker. I am vengeance.

I am fear itself.

"Matthew!" squeals Blair.

He tickles her side for a quick moment, just so he can see the joy in her face. He remembers the present, and swiftly pulls it out of his bag.

"What's that?" Blair questions.

"Uhh War Heads I think. I thought we could try them."

"War Heads?" she looks at the bag, uncertain of the candy.

"Just try one. For me?" he pouts.

A slow smile spreads across her face and she grabs a green one. Matthew tears open a yellow one, and frowns at the color.

"Wanna trade?"

But he is too late, because Blair has already popped the green one in her mouth. She shakes her head when the sour hits her tounge. He tickles her side again, hoping she'll give him the green. She squirms on the ground and finally give in.

"Okay Matthew, you win."

She sticks out her tounge and lets him take the candy. She snatches the yellow one in his hand and plops it on her tounge. They both make sour faces, squishing their lips so they look like they will kiss.

Matthew lays on the ground with her, and they look at the dirty ceiling. It has more cracks then you could count, with some boards not even visible. The pattern is old, light blue with darker colored small dots.

He turns his head to look at Blair. Her bright blonde hair matches her smile, and her green eyes are ones that Matthew has never seen before. Her perfect pink lips look so beautiful to just be waiting there, so he leans in and kisses them.

Blair forgets all of her past in that one moment, that one soft kiss. Her face lights up, and she turns to look at him. He's smiling so perfectly she can't help but return the kiss. She still tastes the sour candy one his lips.

They both fall back to the ground and giggle together. All their worries and troubles aren't alive when they kissed. Only the growing feelings toward each other, and the laughter of the moment.

"Blair?!" a women screeches down the hall.

Blair looks back at Matthew, a look of 'I'm sorry' in her eyes. He puts the candies back in his bag and heads toward the window. Blair sighs and opens the door, bringing back the troubles of today.

"See you tomorrow," Matthew whispers before he jumps out the window.

In the palm of your hands Sit the matter of destruction Or the eternal sovereignty of another’s In your lips throw the bricks or build the towers newly recovered. Lies within my soul,the hidden gold What good will I be? If I destroy myself through lack of my belief.

I had cried for weeks and weeks about losing Emma. She was such a great companion and I loved her to pieces. But I was lonely now. I lived by myself and now felt like I had no protection or friendship left in my home. So I did get another dog. A nine week old golden retriever puppy named Laney. She is the sweetest thing ever. And while it doesn’t fill the whole Emma left, it deserves makes it a little less big.

(Fiction story)