was Naom

she'd just handed me the winning lottery ticket. Bright letters spel

I said, before she e

han me, braver too. "This is literally the thing you've been waiting for. Actu

ain. The date circled in

in my hands. "Do you know how many aud

hose you walked out of with your head high, even when th

believe her.

than the last, like a stone in my pocket pulli

She started tugging at my hair, pulling st

the rest too. You hide yourself, V. Baggy shirts, no makeup, hair always

my cheeks. "It's not about how

that speech, you and I both know you care. You stare at your refle

hat she w

lways seemed too intense, too guarded. A mouth that wanted to smile more than it did.

otential. I

ered. "You can

Excellent! It'

-

hangs out. He was leaning against his motorcycle, as usual, chatting with his friends. Jak

me, raised his ch

era," h

back, trying t

harms, but, it's just 'bleh' right now, timin

eard me once at the café months ago. Ju

night,"

dened, like he knew any living th

hurried off, trying to wipe off that gr

rested in anything serious. I knew that. Still, every time he looked at me like he'd remembered I existed, I felt... noticed. And for

ng. She teased me relentlessly about it w

oda. "Vera, please. That boy has one brain c

hair...and face.... a

nd and who are you? What

a pillow

-

d the flier back out. The bold le

Talent

ee

nd I'd never seen it. Because if I didn't try, I cou

pered: What if this is it? What if this is th

rnt coffee, the endless shelves, the tired cu

their sighs and their carefu

she clapped louder than anyone, e

orner. A crowd that wasn't half-asleep. A moment where my

d me. But it t

my decisio

ing to a

-

omi dragged me through thrift stores, pulling dr

dress into my arms. "Simple, classy, but not bo

ooking back at me didn't seem like me. She seemed stronger. Brave

the one. Now all we need is a little makeup-do

liate myself

," she corr

treet with his friends again. He saw me carry

s, Vera?"

. "She's auditioning for the city

idn't know you had it

burn, but for onc

right. Maybe I d

t M

-

ceiling, my guitar leaning against the wall, my notebook on the nightsta

all of that was

o

ng und

il a thousand times than liv

going to stand

ybe, the world wou