You'll Just Lose By Amanda Rivera

She stole him, she took him away from me. He fell in love with her, that hideous creature. Her dark black, almost raven. Her pale skin, almost porcelain and her blood red lips. He left me all alone, his own mother, well stepmother but still why her? Where did she even come from? I never even heard of her until my magic mirror announced her as the “fairest of them all”. I looked into this so called woman and she is nothing special, yeah she can talk with animals but that is nothing compared to my powers.

I have the power to take this girl out, forever. To make sure she never see’s my stepson again, and to regain my beauty back and make sure that I am once again, The fairest of them all. Not some pathetic girl who sits around cleaning for dwarfs and singing all day to animals. Me, the most beautiful woman in the world.

I devised a perfect plan, I am going to disguise myself as a horrid old women who the girl will befriend and trust.  I make my way over to the dwarfs house and knock on the door, the black haired girl opened the door and smiled sweetly at me.

“Why hello,” She said in a gentle voice, oh how her voice irks me, it’s like pins and needles in my ears.

“Hello Dear, I was walking about the woods when I heard a sweet melody which sounded like it was being sung by an angel, and it led me to you”

“Oh my, thank you ever so much” She says, her cheeks as red as her lips.

“No problem sweetie, would you care for an apple?, I picked it this morning, it’s very ripe and juicy.”

“Well, I am very hungry, thank you” She says, as she takes the apple from my wrinkled hands. Such an ignorant fool she is.

I watched in anticipation as she took a bite out of the apple and smiled as she froze, her eyes widened, I watched as the blood red apple fell from her pale hands, then she collapsed.

I bend down and slowly tucked some of her hair behind her ear and then whispered “ Oh dear, just a word of advice, never mess with the queen, because Snow white.. you’ll just lose.

The Money By Amanda Rivera

THE MONEY

Saturday evening, colorful leaves fall from the old oak tree outside of the St. Patrick's church. Somber people in black clothing gather around the church, used tissues in hand and dried tears on their faces. A long black limo pulls up and a young woman in her early 20’s steps out with her family. The young woman named Lilly was the closest to the deceased, helping her aunt through chemo and other various stages of cancer until she finally succumbed to the deadly disease 2 years later.

Lilly chatted with other mourners outside of the church when she heard a noisy car pull into the church's parking lot. A young man in a wrinkled suit steps out of the car, and proceeds to kick the tires with a frustrated groan. He makes his way over to the church's entrance, a lit cigarette in his hand. This is Lily's cousin Derrick, and the son of the deceased.

Growing up, the two cousins were never close. Lily, being the popular girl had many friends and was nice to everyone, while Derrick was the recluse and never had many friends. Lilly always tried to talk with the boy but he never made any effort back which upset her. During the time his mother had cancer, he was too afraid to visit her and decided to let his cousin take over, he still shudders thinking about the moment he found out that his mom had passed away.

He walked passed his family and saw their shocked faces and flashed a sarcastic grin displaying his rotten teeth. After the shock wore off and everyone exchanged knowing faces, they made their way into the church and sat in the squeaky and uncomfortable pews. Soon after, the priest began talking. Lily’s eyes danced around the room to survey who was there. Her aunt's employees were there, old friends and new ones were there also. But then her eyes fell upon Derrick, who sat staring at the coffin decorated with his mothers favorite flowers with a blank, emotionless face. He was tearing himself up on the inside, he was filled to the rim with guilt, he could feel his whole body start to tremble but he tried to compose himself.

She turned away and and gazed at the coffin also, as if waiting for aunt to just magically wake up, to take this unbearable pain away. She sat back and closed her eyes, hoping this was just one big nightmare that she could wake up from, but no such luck. Her eyes snapped open to the sound of her name, the priest just announced that her aunt left Lily all of her money from her savings. Lily’s aunt was a successful woman with her own retail business and even when she was battling cancer she still made time for her work, determined to not let it plummet into the ground.

Derrick was envious of his cousin, that was his mother, not hers. He had his reasons for why he couldn`t be there with her, reasons that he never shared with anyone other than a therapist that his doctor recommended. When the priest finished talking, the boy stormed out and sat in a quiet, empty room thinking about his mother and the events leading up to her death. While she was in the hospital, he sent her letters almost every day saying how sorry he was for what he had caused and how scared he was to face her. But he was closer than she thought, he was in the same hospital just one floor below her being treated for a drug overdose. That was when he realized that he needed to change his life around.

His mother fortunately forgave and continuously wrote him back, in the last letter she wrote him she said “When I am gone, I am going to leave you something that you deserve more than anyone” But what was it? Lily got all of the money, her co-manager Susan got the company, he was never even mentioned in the will. He was confused and hurt that his mother had lied to him.

He was startled when he heard a voice in the doorway, he turned and saw Lily, a nervous smile on her face asking if he was okay. He turned towards the window and frowned when she sat down next to him. Being the nice person she is, she continuously asked him how he was and tried to comfort him. He finally snapped and bellowed a loud “NO I AM NOT OKAY, MY MOTHER JUST DIED AND I WASN'T BY HER SIDE BECAUSE I WAS A STUPID ASSHOLE WHO JUST SCREWED UP! ” She jumped back in fear and his face softened, he began apologizing over and over.

Lily was concerned and asked him why he thought he was stupid and he finally caved and told her everything. From the gang, to the pointless initiation which ruined him, to the drug selling, to the time he almost died and had no one by his bedside. He confessed that when he found out about his mother's cancer, he realized that he couldn't face her and put this burden on her, so he started to write letters to her and told Lily what his mother said in the last letter.

It was all too much to take in and she was wondering what she should do, keep the money or give it to Derrick to help him recover. She hugged him tight and he stiffened before melting into her arms, not being used to affection from anyone. They sat there hugging and mourning and him mumbling “I'm sorry” over and over. They finally departed and laughed at their messy hair, wrinkled clothes and at the eye makeup running down the girl's face.

The two of them proceeded to Derrick`s car and Lily directed him to her house where they ordered pizza and stayed up all night talking about their childhood and lives now. Around 1 in the morning, Lily was fast asleep while Derrick was still up gazing out the window looking at the stars, he saw a particular one flash brighter than the rest and remembered what his mother once wrote in a letter to him “When I am gone, look up into the sky at night, that shining star you see? That my darling is me.” He looked back at Lily and realized, he didn't need the money or a fancy rehab, he needed someone by his side to help him through. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that his mother did leave him something that he deserved, a family. And for the first time in years he fell asleep peacefully beside his cousin.

See me -Amanda Rivera

Catching him in bed with her wasn't what I expected to come home too, both fast asleep in our bed, but I didn't hold it against him. 

I stand there in the closet watching, waiting till they wake up to see what happens, he awakes first and freaks when he sees her and immediately wakes her up, screaming to 'Get out!' She scurries to get her clothes on and leaves and he begins to cry. The guilt has set in, but he was too drunk last night and saw your face the entire night. 

I slowly walk out into the room and ghost my hand through his hair, he tenses but he has no idea. For I am dead, have been for a year now. He still hasn't moved on, but I've been here on the side lines watching my true love date other girls but I can't let my selfish ways get ahead of me. 

A week goes by and I return to the house and find something horrifying, I see the man that I love down a bottle of pills in less than a minute then collapse on the floor. I scream and go to save him but there's no use, he's gone. I sob and run my fingers through his hair when I felt a tap on my shoulder, and he has a huge smile on his face, a small smile on mine with tears dripping down. 

He can finally see me. 

As they lay their heads down trying to sleep, in their pillow they start to weep they think that no one cares about their feelings, while I sit here worrying about their well beings I sit and listen to their current condition and start to cry because this amazing person wants to die I try to explain that people in this world are cruel and they think they're just being cool So you there crying into your pillow, I may not know you but I know you are an amazing person and your mind should not be tainted with the thought of death, so lay your head down and get some sleep, I can no longer bear to hear you weep. -Weeping Angel by Amanda Rivera

Forever by Amanda Rivera

~Forever~

I was nervous, at this moment I am getting ready for my first blind date. I've been single for a few months now, no time to get out and mingle. My mom came to me the other night telling me her co-worker Monica, had a son around my age who's also single. Monica is a nice lady, but she has something odd about her, her skin is always ice cold, and she has these eyes that tend to change color. But nevertheless, she's a nice woman who is one of my moms friends, so I try and forget about it. I agreed to go on the date, I look myself in the mirror again to check my dress and hair, when I hear the doorbell ring, I run to the door, stop and take a deep breath. I open the door and see a handsome man on the other side, he smiles and I almost swoon. 

"Hello love" He says. "My name is Jason, and yours is Rebecca, I assume"

"Y-yes" I responded. I clear my throat and repeat "Yes, my name is Rebecca, it's nice to meet you" 

He grins and goes for my hand. "Are you ready to go?" I smile and Grab my coat and handbag. "Yes" I responded and grabbed his hand. 

The night was amazing, Jason is a sweet guy and tells great stories. He told me about where he grew up, and stories about his family. I told him about my job and my family and my aspirations In life, he listened intently and I loved it. 

Days went by and we continuously went on dates together, I was happy. Something I noticed though, like his mother, his skin was ice cold and his eyes changed colors too. But he liked me and I liked him so I let it slide. 

After months of being together, I finally decided to stay over his house one night, he made dinner and we sat on the couch watching a movie just enjoying each others company. He started to tickle me and I fell back onto the couch thrashing my legs while laughing. He smiled from on top of me and finally stopped, he put his head in the crook of my neck and kissed it, he came back up and looked me into the eyes and whispered "you are so beautiful, It's only been a few months but I want to be with you forever, and I plan on it". He put his head back to my neck and suddenly I felt an intense pain in my neck and screamed, he looked at me and I noticed his eyes were a deep red and he had fangs sticking out, my vision started to blur and I felt sleepy. Before I passed out, I heard him whisper one word...

"Forever" 

The Titanic Story By Amanda Rivera

My name is Anna, I'm 10 years old and I was aboard the RMS Titanic on April 14th, 1912. The day the deemed “unsinkable” ship sank due to an iceberg no one saw coming. My mother, father and I went on the ship just three days before the ship sank. Like everyone aboard the Titanic, we were going to New York to start a new life. What caused this sudden move was my sister Caroline who was just 15 years old died from a mysterious disease, to this day no one knows what she had. My mother Nancy, has been depressed lately and we all knew even though she tried to put on a brave front for me and my father. My father William, was a hotel owner in London but when my sister died business just seemed to fail and he decided to shut it down and begin a new life. I had to say goodbye to all my friends and family who lived in London, but I was excited to start a new life in New York and see the beautiful sites it had to offer. I made a few friends while aboard the ship like 12 year old Robertha but everyone calls her “Bertha” She`s two years older than me but that doesn't seem to matter to me or her, we'd  play from morning to night and our families got along too. The night of April 13th, my parents and I finished dinner with Bertha`s family and my mother and I headed back to the room while my father was going down to the smoking lounge with Bertha's father and a few other men. At 11:30 or so, my mother and I were shaken awake by a sound that scared the both us, we heard knocking at the door and when my mom opened it, my father came running in and informed us that the ship had hit an iceberg and that we needed to get our coats and life vests on and go straight to the deck where they were loading people onto the lifeboats. We quickly got dressed and ran up to the deck where there was already a crowd of people pushing and shoving. In the confusion I lost my parents, I could hear them screaming my name but it was still a struggle to find them. After minutes of trying to find my parents I finally gave up, for all I know they could already be on a lifeboat and I'm just stuck here on the doomed ship. As I was walking back inside I heard my mother cry out and when I turned around she was just standing there in tears, she ran up and hugged me and kept crying out “I'm so glad you're safe” I let go and looked at her with a serious face and said “W-w-wheres daddy?” she could tell I was frightened, she looked at me, smiled and then replied “Daddys fine and is waiting over with John and Madeline Astor, lets go” Just as she grabbed my hand an officer came over and quickly picked me up and tried to throw me into a lifeboat, I began thrashing and my mother was telling him to put me down, he started yelling “LADY! YOU MUST GET INTO THIS BOAT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!” she quickly yelled back “I AM NOT LEAVING MY HUSBAND, NOW PUT MY DAUGHTER DOWN NOW!” I have never seen my mother so mad, you could tell the officer was intimidated by my mother and he put me down and began loading other woman and children onto the boats. My mother and I ran over to my dad and embraced him in a huge hug. Suddenly, the boat made a weird noise and began going up into the air, all I heard was screaming and my mom yelling “Honey! hold on!” I did as she said and the ship then began going down, before I could process it all the ship snapped into two and we began falling into the frigid water, what started out as the ship of dreams turned into the ship of nightmares. The “Unsinkable” ship was now at the bottom of the sea and all we could do was hope someone would hear our screams and help us. A lifeboat came and helped all of us up and hours passed. The Carpathia came and counted up the number of people who survived and the people who perished, only 705 people survived that tragic night, my mother, father, and even Robertha and her mother survived. I unfortunately was among the 1,500 people who perished. Though we got into a lifeboat, It wasn't long until Hypothermia set in. Years passed, and my mother and father are still alive. When they got onto the Carpathia, they didn't want to come to terms with my death. They already lost one daughter and they didn't want to lose another. They are currently living in New York and they again tried to have another daughter who did indeed live to her adult years, they told her about me and my sister and explained how they survived the Titanic. Every year on the anniversary of the Titanic sinking they go out on a boat above where the titanic sank along with some of the other people who survived and throw flowers into the ocean in my honor. Every year they meet up with Robertha and her mother and catch up on life. I also overheard them say what killed my sister, doctors have done millions of tests and determined that my sister had Pneumonia.