Following Her Heart (CURRENTLY EDITING)

Chapter 1

"OWWWW!!!!!"

I laughed lightheartedly as I had a good natured tousle with my little brother, Andrew. Although Andrew was just an eight year old, he was a strong little guy, being on the junior wrestling team at his elementary school. And I could certainly tell. Well, of course, I, Hannah was also pretty petite too. I had always been. When I was born, I had been almost two months early before my due date. My parents had said it was a miracle I had lived through it- I was so tiny as a baby. And now as a fourteen year old, I was still very small. In fact, I had managed to be the shortest in my eighth grade class last school year- and being so short and small hadn't always been fun. I especially remembered the time in sixth grade when I was bullied because of how little and shy I was. And now, entering my first year of high school, I was still a "little girl" at the very least in appearance.

My name is  Hannah Alynsworth, and I am entering my freshman year of high school. I am fourteen years old, with four siblings- Anna, who is 6, Andrew 8, Elizabeth, 11, and Jackson, is 16. My parents are strong Christians, and have all raised up us kids that way, and I always try to stay dedicated as a Christian teen girl. As mentioned before, I am very petite. Although perhaps not tiny, I am near it. My height is 4 feet 10 inches! I am very thin, and whenever possible, and my mom is chill with it, I wear high heels to make me look taller and older. My mom tells me not to worry about appearance all the time, and I try to listen to her advice. God gave us looks, but of course a plenty of other things to work on and worry about as well. I try to remember that.

Yes, of course, tomorrow was my first day of high school (as a 4 foot, ten inch, insecure, weird girl), but I would have to try to have a positive outlook and besides, worrying wouldn't change anything. I'd just have to hope for the best.

"Hannah!"

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Andrew, who had been waiting to continue the "fight" on our family couch, while I had been thinking.

"Sorry, Andrew. I was just thinking. I really need to get ready for school tomorrow, so I will see you later tonight, okay?" I said, peering down at the little guy next to me.

"Ugh...you're going to be in high school, aren't you?" he asked me with a slight eye roll and eight-year-old "attitude."

I laughed. "Yes, I actually will be."

I skipped downstairs to the finished basement of our tri-level home, into my bedroom. Last summer, my parents thought I could use a bedroom of my own, so they finally built the bedroom of my dreams in the basement. Before, I had bunked with Elizabeth and Anna, my two younger sisters. But now I would have my own hangout for high school, away from my baby sisters' craziness!

I looked over my high school schedule, then the high school campus map as I entered my hot pink bedroom and plopped on my comfortable twin bed. Thomas Edison High wasn't a very small school, but it wasn't huge either. Just medium sized, as was made obvious from the map and junior high visits. It seemed pretty big, to me, though. I had been used to going to a very small school in junior high, and it was just one more reason to worry about tomorrow beginning high school. But I tried to tell myself I wouldn't worry, and so I resolved not to.

Getting up from off my bed, I skipped over to my closet and picked out my favorite outfit, packed my new purple paisley backpack with school supplies and textbooks that weighed a ton, then got on my favorite fuzzy pajamas. Cuddling in bed, I turned on my boombox radio, and began listening to one of my favorite music albums. Then I got out the last book I had been reading from the night before.

Try as I might to read, I couldn't concentrate on the story. I was an avid book lover, but tonight was an exception to getting immersed in a story, as good as it was.

Questions kept popping in my head.

What would Thomas Edison High be like? Would I fit in? Was my class choices be as good as I had hoped? Would everyone like me?

I pulled out my sparkly pink journal and wrote down some resolutions that I would try to keep this school year.

I wrote down in pink ink on the purple lined pages: just be yourself. I would. I'd always remember to stay loyal to my friends, be myself, be kind, and stay true to my Christian beliefs. No matter what, I told myself.

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Please comment and let me know how you enjoyed this first chapter! Suggest what I can improve on, what you like so far, and expect next-whatever you think of Following Her Heart as of yet! ;) Thanks so much for reading!!

I'd also like to dedicate this story to Kirstenk923 for the beautiful cover she created for me for this story. I asked her to make me a story cover, and gave me back one that was absolutely beautiful that was beyond anything I expected! I love it and would like to thank her for her beautiful artistic cover and work she made for me. :)

Xx,
Veronica