FADES AWAY

Hardwork

Light alternated with darkness, and Amare had very little time to pay heed to this. She started feeling dizzy in her eyes, her hands were numb from writing down the information but she continued. Her motivation in the story was the desire to do something, to prove something to herself, that this thing could be endured, the fact that she could continue to perform and succeed, even under such conditions.

The day of the exam results was here. Amare sat down at her laptop, the mouse pointer blinking on the 'View Results' link. You could almost hear the pounding of her small heart beating in her chest – there was both eagerness and fear. This was what she had been looking forward to, the hours of sleepless nights, and hours of studies.

She clicked the button and the page started loading and she took a breathe. Her eyes scanned the screen, searching for the result, and then she saw it: on some occasions one can afford a perfect score.

Amare stood there with her mouth wide open for a moment her heart raced with disbelief. She had done it. It was a fruit of all the efforts and struggles done in the journey. For the first time in what seemed like forever she felt pride and relief and she let herself smile.

That's when she could sit back in her chair and close her eyes for a little while. And it was not only about the score – it was about what the score meant. She had been able to go through the ordeals, she had been able to hold on and she had also been able to prevail over the blackness that had been channeled towards her.

The sunlight was seeping through the wide windows of the apartment and warming up the room. Amare sat at her desk, in her room which was covered with papers she had used in her studies. This was arguably one of the most interesting days that one can think of – she had just opened the much-anticipated email.

Finally, she gulped hard and, with her hand shaking, opened the email which she had just received. The subject line read:"Congratulations, Amare! Your Application to NABA."

She wanted to jump up and scream when she opened the email that read. It was as though the words ran riot and each of the sentences seemed to leave the young woman feeling dizzy with anticipation.

Email: "Dear Amare We are pleased to inform you That you have been admitted to Graphic Design and Art Direction program at Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA) We were most impressed by your portfolio and you academic standing Here is welcoming you to NABA".

Amare's eyes flew open as she saw the words on the page and she stopped breathing for a second. This was the chance she had waited for, a chance to create a career out of her passion and work for her future. She read the acceptance letter with rereading intensified and could feel the seriousness of the message.

Finally, the corners of her lips lifted into a broad smile and looked relieved to boot. She had done it. In spite of this she had made one of her dreams come though before she was even through with high school. Having discovered the fact that she would begin anew at one of Milan's finest art schools a wave of triumph and anticipation washed over her.

Rather, she relieved and excited, leaned back in her chair. This was, however, more than just acceptance into a program; it was a step towards the future, a future that she was ready to take full on now.

The late afternoon sun bathed the apartment in a warm, golden light as Amare sat on the couch, still buzzing with excitement from her acceptance into NABA. She was lost in thought, imagining what her life at the academy would be like, when the doorbell rang.

Amare stood up, smoothing her clothes nervously, and opened the door to find Elena standing there with a broad smile on her face.

Elena: "Amare, I have someone very special I want you to meet."

Stepping aside, Elena gestured for two women to enter the apartment. One was a woman in her late thirties, with a kind face and dark hair pulled back into a loose bun. Beside her stood a young girl, around Amare's age, with the same dark hair and a curious glint in her eyes. Following them were two smaller children, a boy and a girl, both clinging to the woman's legs shyly.