There are many different stories including a princess, a handsome prince, and a villain. The prince slays a dragon, the princess woos over him, and they live happily ever after, right? Do you want one of those? Too bad; this is the exact opposite of that.  This is a little something called “Real Life”. Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it sounds.

    I woke up this morning with my 10 year old sister jumping on my bed screaming at the top of her lungs “SOPHIA!!!SOPHIA!!!MOMMA TOLD ME TO WAKE YOU UP!!!” If she does not stop screaming, I thought, she’s gonna earn herself an introduction to my floor!!
“ Chrissy, it is”, I look at the clock, “5:00 in the morning!” I say in frustration in my growling, morning voice.
 

“I know” she said in her giddy, cheerful voice, “Momma said you have to do a bunch of chores because you didn’t do them last night when you went” she looked around the room and whispered “to the party with Lucas”.
 

“Great”, I said shoving my head in the pillow. Sometimes, I feel like my mom knows I don’t go to Livi’s house to study for a test so late. In my defense, Livi was there. She was basically the one who kept me on my feet all night because someone spiked the drinks. And, I know I can’t tell my mom I was at a party or she’ll totally flip out on me. She’s already going through a lot with Dad leaving us 6 months ago, and I don’t think she will be able to handle the fact that my drinks got spiked last night or that I even went to the party.
 

“Tell Mom I’m sick, and I don’t know if I can go to school today”, I said getting up and directing Chrissy towards my door and closing it before she can come back to say anything else, like she always does. I can hear my mom coming down the hallway and she opens my bedroom just in time to see me laying down and “groaning in pain”.
 

“Honey, what’s wrong?” she said, sounding deeply concerned.
           “I don’t know. Livi and I went to that Japanese place last night for dinner after studying really hard for our Trig test today, and I haven’t felt good sense”, I said holding my stomach. If she buys this, I should win a Grammy or something.
    “Well, okay then”, she said, “Do you need me to stay home with you to make sure you’re okay? The office won’t miss me today if I stay with you.”
           “No, Mom, you should go to work” I said giving her reassurance that I will be okay on my own because I’m not sick (just don’t tell her that).
    So she kissed me on the forehead, like I was a freaking 5 year old, and left to take Chrissy to school and go to work. Finally, I was alone. I got up to make myself breakfast and while I was eating, my phone buzzed. It was from Livi:

    Are you Okay? The break up didn’t go too good last night, did it? I’m coming over to your house right now because I know you don’t want to go to school after that. Be there in 5!

So many thoughts rushed into my mind and all at once: A break up? What does she mean I didn’t take it good? I hope she doesn’t think Lucas and I broke up because we didn’t. Did we? She’s probably just talking about Sarah and John because I was their ship captain. They were the cutest. I hope they didn’t break up.
 

So with worry, I waited for Livi to get here, my leg was jumping I was so nervous because I didn’t know what she was talking about. Finally, I heard the front door open and in came Livi.
“Hey, Soph, how are you?” she said in a sincere voice. “Look, I know you really loved Lucas, but I think what you did was the right thing to do. He was such a jerk all the time and everybody knew he was cheating on you with Piper Jenkins. So, I think this is a good thing, but staying at home all day is not gonna help you one bit, ” Livi said to me in a firm but sincere voice.
 

By this time, I am on the verge of tears, just staring at her, waiting for her to realize I have no idea what she is talking about; but I do now.
 

“What do you mean?” I asked her, my voice cracking from the tears I was trying to hold back.
            “What?” she looked at me as if she didn’t just say all those things. “Oh, my, God,” she said realizing I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. “You don’t remember anything from last night, do you?” she asked.
     “No!!!!” I yelled at her, tears all over the pillow I was hugging. “I don’t remember anything from last night! And Piper Jenkins?!? Lucas cheated on me with HER?!?!”
    Livi looked at me as if she had seen a ghost; terror in her eyes and trying to figure out what to say me.
    “Yes, it was with her”, Livi said in a whisper. “I thought you would have remembered something like that. Everyone saw it. You completely screamed in his face about all the stuff he had done. If you should be anything, it is everyone’s hero. You embarrassed him so bad that he ran out of the party crying like a baby” she said nudging me with her shoulder, trying to cheer me up. Which, in an odd way, it did. Lucas had been being a jerk for a while. When Livi told me this, the first thought that came to my mind was that I wish I could remember seeing him cry like a baby.
    And suddenly, I had an epiphany. “I have to get to school then. If I’m everyone’s hero, I should probably make an appearance, don’t you think?” I said looking at her with a mischievous grin and I knew she was thinking exactly what I was.
    She smiled the same grin and started to giggle, “Is it time to bring out the emergency outfit?” she asked getting all excited.
    “To the wardrobe!” I said getting off the couch and pointing my finger in the air.
We both ran up stairs to get ready, and I couldn’t wait to show Lucas and everybody else that  I don’t get hurt so easily. This is a new day, a new me, and as  many would say: A Single Me.