A Girl With a Dream

It had been a long day. Working at a hospital during an epidemic was exhausting. Alicia tossed her keys on the table by the door and headed to the kitchen for a drink. Having acquired a glass of wine, a souvenir from a trip last year's trip to a California vineyard, she sank down on her couch with a sigh.

Phone in one hand, TV remote in the other, she began scrolling through her Netflix prompts. Alicia settled on an episode of Virgin River and began absently scrolling through her Facebook feed, while sipping on her wine. Her eyes settled on an ad for a contest. Write a short story, win $50,000 and a publishing contract.

Alicia's mind began racing. She wasn't a writer by profession but it was something that had always been in her heart. She loved to document her life and emotions in journals. There were boxes of them under her bed. Artist by nature, Alicia dabbled in creative writing when the mood would strike. She looked at a painting on the wall and create a poem or a story about it.

Alicia had pictured her life going a much different direction then it had.. For most of her high school years, she had wanted to be a journalist or an editor. Her dream was a job in New York City complete with the city girl life. Imagined commuting by foot to an office in the clouds. She'd wear a gray pantsuit and black shiny shoes with aleather Coach bag slung over her shoulder. She would stop at a street cart for coffee and arrive at work with time to spare. She'd walk through the office greeting her peers as she went, and finally ending up at her corner office overlooking the city in all of it's glory.

Alicia jolted suddenly, realizing she had drifted into daydream and her wine had spilled. Irritated, she grabbed a blanket from beside her and the dabbed at the wet couch and then her scrubs. The blanket needed washed anyway.

Is this really what her life had become? Working to the point of a physical and mental exhaustion everyday at a job where you do your best to keep your patients in good spirits, when all you want to do is cry? Coming home to a lonely apartment in the same small suburban town you have lived in your entire life. She was just surviving. Not really living.

With heavy shoulders and a headache forming, Alicia flipped off the TV and decided to take a bath, hoping it might calm her weary heart.

As the water filled, she picked up some dirty clothes from the floor, wipe down the counters, and let some candles. She always was a multitasker. She dumped a couple of bath salts into the water along with some essential oils. A light scent of lavender seeped into the air.

A few minutes later Alicia sank into the tub, letting her head all but slip beneath the water. Her eyes closed and she let the days troubles ease out of her. Thoughts of the contest she had read about drifted into her mind. Could she write an award-winning story? She thought she might be able to. Her life, in part, would make a good story for what the contest asked for - a short story on coming into a lot of money. "I could write a story about writing a story." she thought.

An hour later, Alicia climbed out of the tub, dried off, and went to her room. She pulled on a comfy pair of Black Velvet pants and a gray tank top. Looking at the clock she noted it was well after midnight. She said and got into bed.

Several hours later, she woke to her alarm buzzing. Her sleep had been fitful. Full of vivid dreams. She felt like she hadn't slept at all. Rubbing her eyes, Alicia called out of bed. She threw on her scrubs; a drug tan pants and black top, and headed for the kitchen. She grabbed a travel mug and poured coffee into it. She also poured another mug to drink before she left. An hour later she arrived at work at least it was friday. The work day drag by, but finally the clock hit 5:00 p.m. Alicia swipe your badge to clock out and darted for her car. A short drive and she was home. Once inside, she took a quick shower, threw on some jeans and a form-fitting t-shirt, and some slides. She told her long wavy hair into a ponytail. She put a notebook and some pens into her oversized Vera Bradley purse, grabbed a zip-up sweatshirt, and headed out the door again. Driving into the city, she found a parking spot alongsidea small coffee shop. Inside, Alicia ordered a mocha latte, and set Indian style on a leather couch by a softly glowing fireplace, and she took out her notebook. Once comfy, she began writing. When her hand started to cramp, she looked up from her feverish writing. The coffee shop lighting appeared to have dimmed and she realized it was because it had gone in dark outside. Looking at her watch she realized it was well after 8:00 p.m. closing her notebook she placed it into her bag. She got up, stretching her arms and legs as she put her bag over her shoulder. Alicia not at a good ride to the barista and headed out of the shop. At home she tossed her keys on the kitchen counter and headed to her bedroom she slipped out of her jeans leaving on her t-shirt and bra and she climbed into bed. She commanded Alexa to turn off the light and she closed her eyes. Tomorrow she would finish her story.

The next morning, she sat on her balcony with a cup of coffee. Having finished her story, she hit the submit button and said a quick prayer. Now she just had to wait. 2 months passed. Alicia's life went on. She mostly forgot about the contest. It was just a fleeting thought now and then. Until that faithful Wednesday afternoon. Alicia was going absolutely through her personal email during some downtime at work, when she came across what might have appeared to have been spam. It was titled you have one. She opened it only because the sender was from voice the sponsor of the contest. As she read, her mouth dropped. She let out a little gas. Congratulations. You have won the grand prize! A coworker appeared at her side. What's up she asked. I just want a writing contest! I'm going to be published and get prize money of $100,000! Alicia shrieked. That's awesome her coworker replied take the rest of the day off I will cover you!

One year later

Alicia sat behind a wooden table, a line of about 100 people before her in a small bookstore in New York City. A teenage girl approached her and handed Alicia a copy of her book a girl with a dream. Once you took it to sign it the girl smiled. You are my inspiration she said. After reading your book I have new motivation. I feel like I can accomplish anything! Alicia had often heard similar things from her fans. It had only been a year since the contest, but so much had happened. Her book was published and gained instant popularity, especially among teens and young adults. She had moved to a modest apartment outside of New York City because the publishing company had decided to take her on as a permanent part of their writing team. First though, they wanted her to do is signing tour for a girl with a dream. The company was on the smaller side and definitely not the big city job she had always imagined but it was a start. Alicia was loving every minute of it!

5 years later

Alicia stared accidentally out the large window of her corner office into the city! It was all she had ever dreamed of and more! After her first book took off she had written a series of short stories for her new job at the publishing company. That book landed her a job with a prestigious publishing company. Here she was getting to live out her dream each and every day. She leave her fifth avenue apartment building waving to the Bell man each morning she then stopped at a coffee cart and get her latte and a newspaper - she still like to read an actual paper. And then she'd arrived at her office in times square. Alicia would smile and greet everyone on her way to her corner office. Should I lock her door and take her seat. Every day she'd still look out the window in amazement and how she's actually got in here. No matter how much success she had though she never forgot where she came from. A small town girl with a big city dream. A girl whose dream had come true. Yours can too!