I hate how no matter how big of an effort I make, that one spot between the wall and the curtains always has this slight little crack that allows the sunlight to pierce my eyes. Every fucking morning. Normally, I would throw back the covers and stomp across the room in attempt to position it just right so I could decently sleep in. However, today was different. I was almost grateful that stupid crack of light woke me. Today my mom and dad had to decide. Today I got my answer and whether it was yes or no, I had to know now. This morning I threw the covers back and landed on my feet half running for the door already. My mind was moving faster than my body and I found myself smashing into the door instead of walking through it. Actually I went through the door just not how I’d planned. What a way to greet the day, landing face first on the door I just knocked completely off the hinges. I turned my head to my right to see mom and dad sitting at the dining table, just staring at me. Lets face it, they’re use me falling through doors, or walls. They just stared. I knew they were stressed, but I was at a breaking point, I had to know. I pushed myself up push-up style and jumped to my feet. “Sorry about that” I said. “Nevermind the door” I knew dad had back ups in the shed, I’m kind of accident prone. “So.” I said eagerly. “Despite the last 10 seconds, I suppose - we suppose, we cannot keep you here forever.” I’ve never seen my mom look so stern and matter of fact. She was always so light hearted and whimsical. I felt my body heat rise and I knew I was going to blow. I calmly motioned to my parents that I needed a moment by holding up one finger and made my way through the dining room to the slider door. I opened the giant glass door and stepped out gently closing it behind me ever so carefully as to not shatter it. For a second I stood there staring at my bare feet wiggling my toes, and a second later I was running. As I was running through the backwoods of our property I glanced back at my childhood house, watching as each second passed the house got smaller and smaller until it was gone. It was like watching the closing scene of a movie in fast-forward. Then I stopped dead, I was at least 2 miles away now. I looked around at the woods that I had known forever, so familiar but forever changing with age and the seasons, in that second I realized that the next time I stood in these woods they would be unrecognizable because I was finally leaving. With that thought I threw my hands up to the sky like I was trying to summon rain from the gods above and screamed with my whole body. I could feel the scream resonate from my toes and upward through every bone, cell, and nerve in my body. Mom says when I scream you can see the sound vibrations emanating from my body. I screamed for a long while, watching the waves of sound sway the trees as if a hurricane was brewing. It reminded me of a drop of water sending ripples across the surface of a still lake. I stopped when I noticed my parents skidding to a halt on the quad. Something that had become a means of tracking me down, instead of a pleasure vehicle. “Nova come down!” mom yelled up at me. Before I knew it was falling a good 12 feet to the ground. “It’s a good thing you’re indestructible, because that would’ve hurt.” My dad said with a chuckle. “My bad, I didn’t realize, I’m just so-.” “Excited” My mom cut me off with a smile. “Yeah” I said repaying her with a half cocked side smile. Before I or they knew it I was trying my best to gently but erratically pull them into my arms. “Thank you!” I whispered trying to keep the swelling tears from falling. The rest of that day was a blur of plans, premature packing and bursts of excitement followed by solo dance seshes.

My name is Nova Lee Blackwood.

It’s friday. I’m alone as usual. My life has become dull and uneventful. It never used to be this way. It’s just wake up - work - home - sleep - repeat. This cannot be my life. I assumed I’d be doing something… worthwhile, advantageous, or even maybe profitable? I don’t know. This is just not what I thought I would be doing at 23. I’m sure you’re thinking, “isn’t that what most 23 year olds do?” Ok, yeah, sure. That’s what most average 23 year olds do, but not me. However it you asked me what I’d rather be doing, I couldn’t tell you. I’m sure there are plenty of options for a girl like me, but there are so many stipulations. Anyway, I guess what I’m getting at is this fucking sucks and happy birthday to me.