It was only she who had doubted herself. Alyssa felt like an invisible knot inside her had been undone a knot that had bound her for so many years she smiled a real smile no longer filled with hesitation or fear. She believed in it she believed she was worthy she believed she could do it and for the first time she felt like her dream was no longer out of reach. The morning sunlight filtered through the window curtains casting its glow on Alyssa's small room where she sat quietly in front of her desk her eyes fixed on the screen of her old laptop the words on the screen flickered before her: Willow Ridge Music Scholarship application a form she never imagined she would fill out just a few days ago.
She placed her hand on the keyboard but stopped not because of worry but because she was trying to fully absorb the moment. A week ago she never dared to believe she had this opportunity. A week ago she was still the shy girl sitting in the back row trying to become invisible to avoid the mocking gazes of Madison and people like her. But now everything had changed her breath was deeper her eyes sparkled with a determination she had never seen in herself before she knew this was just the beginning.