Beyond the Notebook

The impossible becomes possible

The morning sunlight streamed through my curtains, and I lazily reached for my phone, not yet ready to leave the comfort of my bed. It was just another day, or so I thought. I had no idea that everything was about to change.

As my phone screen lit up, my eyes skimmed through the usual notifications—some social media updates, a few messages, and then, an email that made my heart skip a beat.

The subject line read: "Congratulations! You've Won 'A Day with Your Celebrity Crush'!"

I blinked a few times, not sure if I was reading it correctly. My breath caught in my throat as I opened the email and read the details.

*"Dear Nora,

Congratulations! You've been selected as the winner of 'A Day with Your Celebrity Crush'! You will spend two days with Zac Efron at his home in Byron Bay, Australia. Your journey begins next Thursday, with your arrival scheduled for Saturday morning. We've arranged your travel itinerary, which includes stops in Dubai and Sydney. We can't wait for you to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience!"*

For a moment, I just stared at the screen, unable to process what I was seeing. Then, the realization hit me like a tidal wave.

I screamed. Loudly. So loudly, in fact, that I startled myself, along with probably everyone else in the house.

My heart pounded in my chest, a wild mix of disbelief and overwhelming excitement. This had to be a joke, right? How could this happen? But then, I remembered the notebook, the dream I had written down the night before.

Suddenly, it all made sense. The old woman, the notebook, the warning to be careful what I wish for. Could it really be true? Could my simple dream really be coming to life?

Without another thought, I jumped out of bed and ran downstairs, my heart pounding with excitement. I found my parents in the kitchen, casually sipping their morning coffee.

"Mom! Dad!" I burst out, waving my phone. "You won't believe this! I'm going to spend two days with Zac Efron in Australia!"

They looked up, startled by my outburst. My mom's face quickly shifted from surprise to concern. "Nora, what are you talking about?"

I thrust my phone at her, and she took it, reading the email with a frown. "This can't be real," she said slowly, handing the phone to my dad.

My father, ever the skeptic, read through the email with a furrowed brow. "It's really far, Nora," he said cautiously. "And you're traveling alone, halfway across the world."

"I know it's far, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" I insisted, feeling a mixture of excitement and frustration. "I've dreamed about this for so long."

My mom shook her head, still looking worried. "But two days in Australia? It's such a long trip. You'd have to leave on Thursday to be there by Saturday morning."

"And you'll have to stop in Dubai and Sydney," my dad added, clearly concerned about the coordination. "That's a lot of traveling for just a couple of days."

"I know, but I'll be fine," I reassured them, even though I felt a twinge of anxiety myself. "This is something I must do. It's like...it's like my dream is finally coming true."

They exchanged a look, and I could see the worry in their eyes. But I also saw something else pride, maybe, or a recognition that this was important to me. Finally, my mom sighed.

"Just promise us you'll be careful," she said, her voice softening.

"I will," I promised, feeling a rush of gratitude. "Thank you."

With their reluctant blessing, I hurried back upstairs, grabbing my notebook from my desk. I needed to tell Carmen about this, to share the excitement with someone who would truly understand.

We arranged to meet at our favorite café, and I tucked the notebook into my bag before heading out. When I arrived, Carmen was already there, sipping on a latte. Her eyes lit up when she saw me.

"You look like you're about to burst," she said with a grin. "What's going on?"

I slid into the seat across from her, unable to contain my excitement. "Carmen, you won't believe this. I'm going to meet Zac Efron!"

Her jaw dropped, and she nearly spilled her coffee. "What? How? When?"

I quickly explained everything, from the email to the notebook and the old woman at the flea market. Carmen listened, her eyes wide with amazement.

"So, it's really happening?" she asked, leaning forward. "You're actually going to spend two days with him?"

I nodded, pulling the notebook out of my bag. "And look—this is the notebook I told you about. I wrote about meeting Zac last night, and now it's coming true."

Carmen took the notebook, turning it over in her hands. "This is unbelievable, Nora. I mean, it's crazy, but...it's also kind of amazing."

"I know," I agreed, feeling a surge of excitement all over again. "I just need to figure out what to wear. I was thinking we could go shopping this weekend. I need something for the day with Zac, a pajama, and maybe a dress for dinner or something."

Carmen nodded eagerly. "Absolutely. We'll find the perfect outfit. You're going to look amazing."

As we finished our coffee and made plans for our shopping trip, I couldn't help but feel like I was in a dream. But this time, it wasn't just a dream. It was real. And it was all happening because of that notebook.

When I got back home, I went straight to my room, pulling out my suitcase and starting to pack. It felt surreal, preparing for something I had only ever imagined. But now, it was just days away.

As I carefully folded clothes and set aside the essentials, I glanced at the notebook on my desk. There was no doubt in my mind now—it really was a dream book, just like the old woman had said. And now, I was living proof that dreams could come true.