Page 1 of Finding My Forever

Chapter 1

“April, you need to hurry it up!” My mom’s voice drifted from downstairs where I knew she was making breakfast while my dad sat in his spot at the table reading the morning news from his tablet. Creatures of habits.

“I am!” My eyes rolled on their own accord.

The music paused for a second, signaling I got a message. I didn’t have a free second to check and since it was probably just a text from my best friend, Katie, I ignored it and finished coating my lashes with a second coat of mascara. The song changed to one of my favorite cheer mixes from last season and my hips couldn’t help but move while I combed a section of my hair before wrapping it around my curling iron.

Despite what my family thought, it only took me thirty-five minutes to get ready. Of course, I could take much longer, but my morning routine was a fine-tuned routine. I spent most of the time just trying to wake up.

Morning person, I was not.

So, I had to figure out how to best optimize my time in the morning. That included taking way too long to get out of bed, taking a world record-breakingly short shower, having my makeup routine memorized, and of course, having my curling iron heating during the whole process so it’s ready to work its magic the moment I need it. In fact, I’ve trained my wavy hair to curl just the way I like with only curling five sections. If that’s not a talent, I don’t know what is.

My sister, Elise, mocked me for caring about my appearance, but there’s nothing wrong with taking pride in how you present yourself to the world. It wasn’t my fault she thought the au naturel look was acceptable all through high school. At least she was a little bit better now that she was in college, and had a boyfriend.

I sprayed a few quick bursts of hair spray to set my curls then grabbed my phone to turn off my music. When I unlocked the screen an email icon appeared.

I tapped on it and the unread email opened. My eyes scanned the words faster than my brain could process.

Oregon.

Writing.

Winner.

New York.

What? I scrolled to the top and read it again slowly.

“Ah!” My scream filled my room. Within seconds I could hear footsteps running up the stairs.

“April?” My mom swung the door open looking around the room frantically. My dad was just behind her holding a hand to his chest.

“What’s wrong?”

They continued searching the room and my face until I held up my phone. My dad’s face turned to stone.

“Please tell me we didn’t run up here because one of the members of that boy band you like left.”

“No,” I huffed, “it’s nothing like that.”

“This time.” He mumbled the words but I heard. It was only one time that I freaked out over that, but he refuses to let it go.

My mom stepped further into the room and took my phone. I watched her face waiting for a reaction.

Suddenly she was beaming and grabbed my shoulders, jumping up and down. “April! That’s amazing!”

“What is?” Dad reached for my phone out of Mom’s hands but kept missing as we moved in a circle. She finally stopped and turned to him.

“April’s essay was selected as a winner.”

He looked from Mom to me. “The one on feminism?”

I nodded.

“Well, congratulations April. That’s very impressive.”

I smiled but Mom cut me off before I could say anything else. “That’s not all, Bryce. She won a three-thousand-dollar scholarship and a trip to New York.”