Always an Almost

two.

Lyla sat on the bay window in her room, looking out into the empty street below her. She lived in a peaceful area just outside the city, where houses had big yards for their children to play in and people had room for pets. Unlike the houses in the city or closer suburbs where all you had were apartments or small houses without any outdoor space. Lyla had always liked the area she lived in, it was the only area she had ever lived in but it was perfectly suited to their family of five. One of her favourite things about their town was Zara, her best friend, who lived only a five minute walk to the next block. Thinking of Zara, Lyla opened up her phone and sent a quick message to Zara inviting her over.

It didn't take long for Lyla to hear the soft raps on her wooden door, indicating her friends arrival.

"Come in Z!" She called from her bed watching as the doorknob twisted and opened to reveal the familiar shape of Zara.

"Thank god you invited me over Ly, I needed to escape my house" Zara sighed laying herself down on the end of the bed. Zara was a very quiet girl who hated all forms of confrontation, especially in the form of her mother. Zara's mother Micah was one of the 'cool' parents, always trying to impress their friends, Zara loved her mom but her horrible antics and habits made it difficult for Zara to feel at all comfortable in her own home.

"What did she do?" Lyla asked knowing full well that the problem would be about Micah.

"She brought home some guy named Larry. I mean the fact that she's having these affairs is bad enough, but with a Larry?! Get real" Zara complained her hands moving in frustration with her words. Zara's parents had been married by force, an arranged marriage by Micah's father whilst she still lived in Japan. Micah claims to have never truly loved Zara's dad, Peter, but refused to break off their marriage as it was a dishonour towards her own father by refusing his choice of husband. Instead of getting a divorce like she wanted Micah had decided that the best way to sort out her problems was to cheat. A new man would come into their family home every few days, all the whole Peter had no idea what was going on. He was in the military, and therefore wasn't home nearly enough to notice the rift that was threatening to tear their family apart. All the while Zara sat at home knowing of her mothers behaviour but not having the heart to tell her it was wrong, or even to tell Peter what was happening.

"A Larry? I can't believe that!" Lyla remarked trying to comfort her friend.

"Enough about my problems, what's going on with you?" Zara asked sitting up and leaning against the wall behind her. Lyla looked up into Zara's dark almost black eyes and sighed heavily.

"I think I'm cursed" Lyla replied bluntly biting her lip to try and keep her sanity. "I know how ridiculous it sounds but I can't find another way to describe it."

"Well, what makes you think you're cursed?" Zara asked, seemingly holding back a laugh after seeing the serious expression laid across Lyla's features.

This response led Lyla to explaining her curse theory. Of being born as an 'almost' and her thought of never being able to achieve her goals, since she would always just end up in second place.

"Second place isn't that bad, you're like the second winner" Zara tried with a small smile.

"Or the first loser" Lyla scoffed, "I just want to win, for once I want to achieve something for myself."

"I'm sure your theory of your family always saying almost is just a coincidence." Zara offered trying to console Lyla's broken spirit.

"Well I told Colten the theory a month ago, now he finds it to be his favourite way to annoy me. Always saying that I've almost done something." Lyla complained rubbing her fingers against her temple trying to massage away her annoyance.

"How about you do something proactive? Try harder, make a list of things you want to achieve and really strive to make it happen" Zara said smiling at Lyla.

"You're right. That's exactly what I need to do" Lyla's face lit up finally having a way to try and beat the curse. So she rushed off the bed and to her desk to grab a pad of paper and a pen. Once back on the bed beside Zara she laid the materials out in front of her, thinking first of where to begin.

1. Beat Mikayla's record swim time

Mikayla was the top swimmer at Lyla's swim meet, and always seemed to beat her times leaving Lyla with second or third place in every race. The goal would take a lot of practice in the pool but it seemed achievable. Lyla put her pen back down to paper as she thought up her next goal.

2. Get closer with Kade

Lyla thought with a smile, she had had a crush on Kade for as long as she could remember. Colten always got in the way though, the problem with having a twin brother was that almost every guy your age that you think you like ends up liking Colten better. It was a trait in the whole 'bros before hoes' theory. So Lyla had never had a boyfriend up to this day, but she hoped that would change if her second idea worked.

"I think two goals is enough for now, their both going to take a lot of time anyway" Lyla smiled looking down at her two points hoping that she would be able to somehow make this plan work.

'Somehow'