The Stories of America

The Twenty-Fifth Star: Remake

In Order of Appearance:
Arkansas Territory/State of Arkansas: Valentina "Val"
State of Louisiana: Louis
State of Missouri: Louise
Michigan Territory: Derek
Michigan Territory: Chris
State of Tennessee: Shiloh

In Order of Mentioned:
District of Columbia: Cara
State of Mississippi: AJ
Missouri Territory: Ever
Northern States of America: Alfred
State of Maine: Mason
State of Delaware: Lennie
Michigan Territory: Charlie
Michigan Territory: Maddie
Michigan Territory: Matt

Thoughts are in italics.

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June 15th, 1836-District of Columbia

She takes a deep breath. Finally, after so long, Cara has finally allowed her to become a state. Today, she would no longer be a territory. The moment she puts her star up on the wall, she was officially a state.

It makes her nervous. Very nervous. Her hands won't stop shaking. She paces nervously, ready for someone to take her to the room.

"Stop." She tells herself, "Take a deep breath and stop worrying so much."

She tries her best to still her body and takes another deep breath. She has been told this so many times and has done it so many times, but it has never worked. Her hands still shake. Clasping her hands together and closing her eyes, she takes another deep breath. Then another. And another. And another. And another until she feels her hands still. She opens her eyes and looks at her hands. They aren't shaking.

"Okay, good! Now, just focus on the good thoughts. The happy thoughts from back when I wasn't worrying about being a state."

She sifts through her memories, looking for anything to clear her mind. She remembers the time when Louis had first found her. Val had been sitting in a field of grass, occasionally picking at the grass when Louis reached the top of the hill overlooking the valley she was in.

Val hadn't noticed her at first, still picking at the grass and trying to catch a wild rabbit. It wasn't until she came running down the hill, shouting for her siblings did Val notice her. Louis had stopped about thirty feet away from her. All she did was stare at her. She hadn't seen other people at all.

After only a minute, another person came running down the hill. All she did was stare. She remembers AJ telling her, her body was so still, it looked like she had died sitting upright. She laughs internally at the memory.

"Valentina!" Val jumps. She had been so lost in her own memories she didn't notice Louis coming into the room.

"Sorry, memories." She answers.

"It's fine." Louis replies, "Come on, we're ready for you. Got your star?"

Val nods, swiping the metal painted star from the side table next to the door. Louis closes the door behind them and they start walking towards the room.

"You look nice." Louis comments.

"Thanks. It's a big occasion and I decided to look nice." Val answers, a nervous smile on her face.

"Hey, if you're wondering, Mason is the twenty-third state so when Louise became the twenty-fourth, he was up there to help Louise. You're going to be the twenty-fifth state so..." Louis trails off. It hurts that he didn't say Ever with Louise, but she ignores it. Noticing Louis staring at her, Val cocks her head at him and he blinks at her.

Oh.

He wants her to finish his sentence.

Val thinks about what he said.