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Monday, December 18, 2017

“Her Sixteenth Year” by Edrea A



They say a girl's’ sixteenth year is the most important; and I would understand why. Typically that year, a girl goes on her first date, prom, has her first boyfriend, first job, first heartbreak and a number of all sorts of “firsts” that supposedly happens your sixteenth year. They even make movies about it.Well her sixteenth year started like any other cliche story would. It was a new school year and new opportunities. She was always a good girl, everyone's friend, the teachers favorite and loved by many. She was on the varsity cheer squad, her body stance looked like she came from a magazine, her hair was lush and she never failed to drop her smile. She was flourishing; her grades were on top, confidence like no other, and she never had a dull moment. She was as perfect as a cookie cutter and as organized as a planner. There was no such thing as a red light to her. 

As the school year went on by she noticed something was odd. Her makeup wasn’t quite the same shade and her clothes didn’t fit right. As soon as you know it she was gasping for air after cheer practice and when she gets come, her body is covered in bruises. Bruises that hurt so bad to touch.
One day after practice, she was walking to her car and suddenly she collapsed. 

The moment she wakes, the first thing she sees are bright lights. A voice came over and asked if she had remembered what had happened; and she simply shook her head in confusion. She glimpsed at her arm to see an ivy injected in her, and with her other hand she adjusts the oxygen to fit just under her nostrils. In the same hand a blood pressure and heart rate monitor is clipped on her finger and she hears a continuous amount of beeps. 

It was not long until the doctor came into the room to discuss what had happened. Maybe it was dehydration or simply fatigue. Looking at her parents the doctor says “You daughter has systemic lupus.” The doctor then explained she must be confined for further examination; there is no cure but there are treatments The room was not silent for long; her mother starts to weep in the corner and her father has his head down. Then they rushed her to a private room. 

And there she is. Who was once present in class everyday, now lays with an ivy in her for the next three hours. Her head filled with lush and healthy hair dies slowly with each and every round of chemo. The girl who can tumble perfectly is now losing her eyesight because the 8 prescription drugs she’s taking three times a day is raising pressures in her eyes that can be tumorous. And not to mention her kidneys are going through dialysis. 

But the one thing she never lost was her smile Her award winning smile, a smile that masked every needle and every drug. Things eventually got better for her. She may never tumble the same way or even have hair that will be as full but she will always have her smile. She will continue to be a good girl, everyone's friend, the teachers favorite and loved by many more. 

Her sixteenth year was everything but sweet; but she’s seventeen now and her “firsts’ are ones no one can beat.

19 comments:

  1. WOW, i have to say that to writing this you must have a strongest person ever. This is a very emotional and meaningful story so far i read. And the way you started describing the "sixteenth year" was amazing and very well written. I salut the person who went through all this and had a smile on her face. Because that's where the big change happens usually. So thank you so much for sharing this. I hope everyone can find the meaningful piece in this story. Good Job.
    -Taslima Ahamed
    -Per: 05

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  2. Your story was fantastic! The sharp contrast between the exposition and conclusion was made only better by the last rhyming line. Your writing style is obviously advanced and supported by the vivid sensory details. Great Job!

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  3. Wow this piece left me speechless! I really liked this piece because at the beginning it was about this perfect girl and then the twist just made it so real. I really enjoyed reading this and I think it was so moving and emotional. Great job!

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  4. This piece was absolutely amazing. The way you used all these cliches that everyone is “supposed” to follow and then you show how in reality life can go in many different directions and can throw things at you you’d never imagine. I love the strong female character in this story. Great work !

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  5. Beautiful! Passion is throughout this, the character holds herself up so high. Even when there was bad news she still kept her smile. Amazing!!

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  6. This piece was a very touching. The detail you used to describe the character's challenges and how you tied in her sixteenth year being sweet in the end to show how she didn't let her illness stop her from living her life was empowering. Amazing work!
    Mia Tolliver
    Period 1

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  7. This story was so touching and inspiring. This girl was able to smile through the pain she was going through. I liked that because sometimes, we forget to smile when times get tough.

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  8. WOW!!I appreciate the selection of words and pronounce story line. It gave a twist on what a numerous amount of people see as a potential "sweet sixteen", but also exemplifies what a fantastic writer you are through your organization of thought process.

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  9. I really enjoyed reading your piece! I like the contrasts you drew between the "perfect" sixteenth year and how it can quickly diminish with the snap of a finger. This was very inspirational to read, your piece taught me to keep my smile bright no matter what the circumstance is. Good job!!

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  10. I really find your entry interesting. We seem to think that we're invincible teenagers. Your word choice allows the reader to empathize with the girl and her pain. I felt the bitterness of the term "sweet sixteen". Good job, and I really loved your entry!

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  11. I really loved this Edrea since I can somewhat relate! My sixteenth year was kind of like this since I got my heart condition and I remember looking back and wondering how I could go from being so happy all the time to always being in a hospital. All I know is that you wrote this beautifully and I appreciate how it had an uplifting ending. Good Job!

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  12. I really enjoyed reading this piece and did not expect what happened to happen. Using "sweet sixteen" really was a good title for your piece as we stereotype that term to be the best year, good job!

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  13. This story was great. You did a great job with the description. I loved how you put " as organized as a planner." When you talked about the changes in her body I just thought it was just her simply gaining weight but it turned out to be lupus, which I did not expect.Awesome job!

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  14. Great job Eddie. I love how despite all the negative events that accrued in the girls life she was still able to hold a smile at the end. I loved what you wrote the very end too because you can see the determination in the girls eyes to have a better 17th year.

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  15. What an interesting twist to the plot! I enjoyed reading this because I could feel the intensity of emotions running through this piece and your use of syntax was well manipulated to allow a good flow from each of the character's experiences. The last sentence left me somewhat awestruck due to your play on words. Great job!

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  16. This was a great piece, it effectively shows both a positive and negative side to life and how life can suddenly change. It's incredible to believe how although one is going through such events, one can remain smiling and with a positive spirit.

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  17. Eddie! I truly loved your blog post because it made me feel a wide array of different emotions. I really enjoyed how you gave examples as to how perfect the girl's life was, and how things can change instantly. It really shows us how things can change so quickly, but I love how you conclude with how the girl grew from this experience.

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  18. I really like how you centered the story around the fact that it was her "sixteenth year". We all know how exciting turning sixteen can be so it was cool to see how it can also be terrifying for some. Overall this was a really interesting and great piece, thank you for sharing.

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  19. I really enjoyed your story! I liked how you used a birthday that almost everyone can relate on being a big year for them. This story really caught me off guard and that's what made the story even more intriguing.
    Samantha Ehrlich Period 1

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