Aria's Story

~ Chapter 24 ~

I've been dreaming about this moment for as long as I can remember, even though, I was kinda nervous about speaking in front of my whole school about what I've been through in the past few years. Hunter and Nicole both helped me make this very important decision and thankfully our principal understood and agreed to let me speak about it in the next prep rally.

Here I am, standing in front of a few thousands of people, who are staring right at me with confused expressions. I look through the crowd of people in the bleachers and look for Nicole or Hunter. I spot Hunter talking to Nicole and smiling at me as saying good luck to me. I smile back, and take a deep breath. This moment is one of the biggest and most memorizing moments I will probably ever have. I had to make this moment good, and that means I can't let what other people are doing or saying affect me.

I smile at the people in the bleachers in front of me, and I start speaking with a great strive of confidence, "Most of you know me or know about me from what people have said in the past few years," I pause, remembering just what people have said in the past two years because of my eating disorder. "My name is Aria. I'm a senior here and I want you all to know something; I do have anorexia. I've had issues accepting my body for years now and I can finally say that I am getting better."

From the corner of my eyes, I could see Emily smirk. I turn my attention to her for a few seconds, noticing that she's enjoying this moment. I feel like all of our friendship was just a lie and she was only pretending to be my friend because of her friendship with Danielle. When she notices me looking at her, she smirks as to say that she doesn't care what I've been through and that she thinks it's completely funny how I have anorexia.

I roll my eyes and continue on with what I was saying, "I suffer from an eating disorder that I thought I would never recover from but here I am, doing just that." I smile, noticing people were actually smiling and nodding at me, "I wanted to feel beautiful for once and I thought the only way for that was to stop eating. I was wrong, and I know that now."

I kept talking about what I've been through since the beginning of my journey with my anorexia to the present. Some people were looking really happy for me and they were smiling at me while I was talking. Emily, Danielle, and her group were looking at me like I had just murdered someone. I look over towards Nicole and Hunter and notice that they were both looking at me with supportive and protective eyes, and I knew just by that, that everything from now on was going to be okay. I was sure of it.

After explaining to them what's been going on in my life in the past few years, I start talking about the future and what it holds for me, "Life is opening a new door for me, a new chance to live the life I want and another chance to be happy and to chase my dreams. Despite what happened in the past, I'm learning how to move forward and to chase after what I want in life, no matter how difficult that may be. Life is short but if you do your best and enjoy yourself, that's enough. Most of us aren't visited by the different versions of ourselves so we can see the mistakes we've made. And if we're lucky, we can seize the chances to make the changes and to make sure we never do it again, and to make things better. I think for now on, I'm only going to focus on the things that are most important to me and to the future years."

I stand there with a huge smile on my face a huge strike of confidence and self-worth, "I thank you all for your time. I'll see you guys later and I hope you all have a great day and the rest of the year!" I exit the gym with the widest smile I've ever smiled.

I hear footsteps behind me and soon enough, I was pulled into a hug from behind, "Oh my God, Aria! You were so amazing out there," I hear Nicole say as she wipes her eyes. We pull away from each other and I can see tears streaming down her face but I knew she was happy just by the smile on her face. "I'm so proud of you." Hunter comes out from the gym and gives me a tight hug before congratulating me just like Nicole did. I thank them both and we walk out of the school together, looking forward to the future.

Sometimes, it takes just taking a chance for someone to get a second chance. Sometimes, though, we don't even need a second chance; we need a second family, we need happiness and we need to stay true to ourselves. Through the years, you will see and develop changes and chances, you never dreamed that you can get. It can come at you like a strike of lighting, so bright but so fast. And sometimes, you get a second chance with your family. In my case, I love getting the chance to have another chance with my family. It's never too late to start a new friendship with your parents because they love you and care about you so much.

If fate has anything to do with what follows you through everything in life, then it just determines what kind of fate you have. If fate allows, you can do anything you put your mind to, and I think that's something everybody should keep in mind before doing something and before chasing their dreams.

I, Aria Lynne McAndrew, is ready for what the future holds.