Holly's Days: Staving Short Stories, Featuring Holly.

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Holly was tired of being eight years old. She wanted to be a grown-up like her sister India. So, one night, when she saw a shooting star, she made a wish before going to bed. The next morning, she woke up as a 22-year-old! She was ecstatic and ran to show her mother, Samantha. But, her mother didn't recognize her and thought Holly was a burglar. Samantha drop-kicked her. Holly barely escaped her mother's wrath. She thought she'd try and enjoy adult life by getting a job, but nobody would hire her without ID. She had no money and, on top of all that, the police arrested her because Samantha thought Holly kidnapped her eight-year-old self. In jail, Holly tried to make friends, but they just beat her up. So, she cried and wished she could be eight again, as she went to sleep. The next morning, she woke up in clothes too big for her. A confused guard wondered how an eight-year-old wound up in jail. It didn't matter; he called her mom, and Holly was happy to be reunited with her family. She learned that growing up too fast can have terrible consequences and decided to enjoy being a kid while she had her youth.

Another live one

Holly had always been a loving and supportive partner to Helen. She had gone to great lengths to keep their relationship strong, even when she was incarcerated for a few months. But lately, things had taken a turn for the worse. Helen seemed to be on edge all the time, and she would often snap at Holly for no apparent reason. Holly tried her best to be patient and understanding. She knew that Helen had been through a lot while she was in jail, and she was willing to do whatever it took to make things right. So, she did everything that Helen asked of her, from cooking dinner to doing the laundry. But nothing seemed to make Helen happy. One day, as Holly was folding the laundry, she couldn't help but wonder if things would ever go back to the way they were before she went to jail. She missed the times when they would cuddle on the couch and watch movies together, or when they would go for long walks in the park. But as she looked at the pile of clothes in front of her, she made a decision. She would keep trying her best to be a good wife to Helen, even if it seemed like an uphill battle. She knew that their love for each other was strong enough to get through anything together.

Back to our regularly scheduled stories..

Holly was a fierce bike racer, and everyone knew it. She had been racing since she was a little girl, and she had won every single race she had ever been in. She had a mean reputation, and most people were too scared to challenge her. One day, a mystery woman in a helmet challenged her. Holly didn't know who the woman thought she was, but Holly was about to show her. As they got to their starting positions, Holly gave her one chance to back out. But the mystery rider asked, "what are you chicken?", and the race commenced. Holly was confident she would win, but soon the mystery woman pulled in front of her, beating her. Holly was surprised and demanded to know who she was. It was her childhood friend Priya, who had taught her how to ride. Holly hadn't seen Priya in 10 years, so her anger quickly turned to glee as she ran and hugged her. Holly wanted to take Priya to dinner and catch up on old times. As they talked, Holly realized that she had become too focused on winning and had lost sight of the joy of racing. Priya reminded her of the thrill of the ride and the importance of having fun.

One more to bury my feeling

Holly had been excited for her date with Jack for weeks. She had gone through her closet multiple times to find the perfect outfit, and had even practiced conversation topics with her friends. As they sat down at the restaurant, Holly wanted to impress Jack even more and decided to order a steak, even though she had been a vegetarian for years. After a few bites, Holly started feeling nauseous and dizzy. She couldn't continue eating and had to confess to Jack that she was actually a vegetarian. Jack was confused and asked why she had lied about it. Holly revealed that she really liked Jack and didn't want to mess up their first date. Jack was surprised but laughed it off. He told Holly that there was no need to pretend to be someone she's not. He ordered two tofu platters, and they continued to talk and enjoy each other's company. As the night went on, Holly felt more comfortable being herself around Jack. They discovered they had a lot in common, including their love for animals and the environment. They exchanged numbers and planned their second date, which was a picnic in the park with a vegan spread. Holly learned that being true to herself was always the best way to go.