Beau Hale
She said that she was
my best friend and then one day she wasn’t. Every day I live with the visible
scars, but it’s the invisible ones that hurt the most. They are a constant
reminder of everything I’ve lost as well as all the things that I’ll never
have. I should be over this by now, it’s been years, but I can’t escape the
memories that haunt me. Everyone around me
is moving on with their life, so now I need to do the same. Tennis brought me
to Columbia University, and I am quickly proving that I will not let anyone
defeat me, past or present. I am in control now. Life has taught me the hard
way to remember that. But after all this time, I’m still searching for an
answer to the one question that is constantly burning in the back of my
mind…why?
Leila Starling
He said that he was
my best friend, and then one day he wasn’t. It took one moment to change my
entire life. What I thought I knew became a lie and nothing was ever the same. Slowly,
I picked up the pieces and focused on what I could control…me. I live in New
York City and attend one of the world’s most prestigious fashion and design
schools. Day after day, I am getting closer and closer to making my dreams come
true. I did this all on my own and no one can ever take it from me. I know my
future is bright, even if my heart is destined to stay in the dark. The dull
ache that still lingers is my daily reminder to rely on no one but myself.
Although, after all this time, I still can’t help but wonder…why?
Excerpt
Excerpt 1
I
push through the saloon doors into café and spot the customer sitting in one of
the leather chairs up front by the window. My body reacts before my mind does
and I freeze mid step. My heart crashes into my chest, my hands start sweating,
and I am certain that my eyes are playing a trick on me. There is no way that
of all the cafes in the city, he would walk into mine. It’s just not possible. But there he is
looking almost like I remember him.
Ali,
my best friend, must have told him that I work here. I’m going to kill her.
Instead of walking over to greet
him, I stare at him. It’s been over a year since I’ve seen him and all of a
sudden, all that time diminishes and it feels like it was just yesterday. I
didn’t even know that he was here in the city. Ali never told me. I had just
assumed that he would be coming up sometime later in July. I feel as if my
world has just been thrown on a tilt. I wasn’t prepared to see him.
The morning sun hasn’t started to
rise yet, so the windows behind him only serve as a dark backdrop, and the
light shining down from above him has placed him in a spotlight like glow. If I
was a photographer, I feel that this could be a beautiful photo. As it is, I
have just taken a mental picture and will now forever see him sitting in that
chair.
Excerpt 2
Sweat
drips from my hair, over my forehead, and down the side of my face. I’m in the
zone and nothing is going to pull me out of it.
I toss the ball high to serve and
watch in slow motion as it flies over the net and Nate responds. His feet are
quick but mine are quicker. The muscles in my arms are tense. They’re coiled so
tight, just waiting to strike. Over and over the ball comes at me. Its speed
has to be close to one hundred and fifty miles an hour and all I can think is
the faster the better!
Tennis has always been my escape. My
brother Drew swims and over the last few years, I’ve noticed that Matt has
picked up running but for me . . . I need the impact to release the
frustration, anger, and heartache that I am consumed with.
Dad was smart to put me in tennis.
Although, I would not, and will not ever hit a person, hitting a little yellow
ball brings me great relief.
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