A Promise From The Heart

When Lana's best friend, Amelia was starting to feel like she was losing Lana to Lana's boyfriend Tim, Lana almost dumped him completely. That was the last thing Amelia wanted. Amelia only wanted Lana's happines. That was all she wanted.

"No Lana, don't." She begged. "But if it's what you want, and if it means I won't loose you, I will."Lana reasoned. "No. Don't Lana. You may think I hate you and Tim but if anything, it's the complete opposite." Amelia explained. "I just wish that I could talk to you sometimes. Without him, well you know, being there." "We'll talk. Tomorrow. Just you and me, promise." Lana promised her. "Ok, thank you." Amelia said.

Dreams

Naomi's favourite part of the day, eversince she was 5 was going to sleep. Sleeping so that she could dream. Naomi loved dreaming. When she dreamt, she escaped from reality. She fealt free. Like a board soaring through the clouds.

Naomi's dreams always started with her floating up high in the sky on a big, white, soft and fluffy cloud. It'd take her up to a gate which she would walk through and her resl dream began.

It would always end the same too. She would walk out the gates, which would close behind her, step onto the cloud and it take her, floating down, down and then, she would wake up. That was how she knew the dream had ended. When the cloud had finished floating.

Naomi loved dreams until one day, Naomi didn't have a dream, but instead a nightmare. She was standing in the middle of a deserted street, surronded by family and friends at first. But then suddenly, one by one they dropped to the ground, just like logs that had been cut off a tree.

When Naomi, went to have a closer look at one of them, her mother, she found that her eyes were closed. She tried nudging her. Nothing. Calling to her. Silence, still no response.

Nexct thing she knew, Naomi was awake. She sat up in bed, screaming. Her mother rushed to her side. "Naomi, what's the matter?" She asked, worridly. "It.. I... They.." Naomi spluttered but was interupted by her mother. "Oh great. It's that time. SHe's had one." She muttered. "What's allthe comotion aboout?" Asked Naomi's father appearing in Naomi's doorway. Naomi's mother edged toward her husband. "She's had her first nightmare." Naomi's mother whispered her explanation into his ear. "Go back to sleep Naomi." He told her, looking up. "It'll all be ok in the morning." Naomi's mother agreed. And so Naomi did go back to sleep.

Naomi had another good dream for the rest of the night, and completely forgot about the nightmare.

Naomi still loves dreams, and still loves going to sleep every night so she can afford them.

The reason

Kelly had been picked on her whole life. So much that she was desperately trying to find a reason to go to school everyday. That reason soon came in the form of three people, Libby, Kate and Michael. When they came, Kelly longed to go to school everyday and be with them. They were the reason she did go to school everyday. They were her everything, her world. The reason she lived. The reason she survived life in high school.

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Dedicated to Chantal, John and Elizabeth. You 3 are the best things that have happened to me since my cousin Ronald with born. You are my angels and the true reason I go to school everyday.

Twiste of Fate

Lilly had lived in a very strict religious community all her life.

It was almost her 22nd birthday. That would be the day her parents decided who she would marry.

Lilly, along with her best friend Mia, who also lived in the community thought this was unfair. "Shouldn't we have a say in who it is we marry? I mean, we're the ones who are going to have to live with them for the rest of our lives. We should at least get a little bit of a say!" Mia had complained to Lilly one afternoon. "I reckon we both need a break. Why don't we go on a holiday?" Lilly decided. "Great idea. I definently need a break from this place." Miua agreed. "And besides, I'm sure Mr and Mrs rule their kids lives for them and don't let them have any freedom sour pants won't object to it." She continued, sourly. "Come on Mia. They might be a bit controlable and over protective at times but they're still our parents." Lilly pointed out. She still got annoyed by her parents, but she wasn't as out there about it as Mia was.

So it was agreed, Mia and Lilly would go away for two weeks starting next week. Despite having a holiday away to look forward to, Mia was still sour. "I hate them. I wish thwy'd back off for one minute! It's not like we can't live without people watchimg over us 24/7!" She would complain to Lilly day after day after day. One day Lilly cracked. "Mia, just stop it ok?! I'm sick of hearing it!" Lilly fumed. Mia immediately calmed down. Lilly must've been pretty sick of hearing it for her to get like this, after all Lilly never got like this. "Ok." Mia said quietly.

Finally, after what seemed like years of waiting it came time for Lilly and Mia to go on holidays. They were both looking forward to it, more than ever. They both truly, desperately needed a holiday to.

"It's so nice out here." Mia said, spinning around on the grass outside the cabin they were staying in. "The cool, fresh breeze, I can just smell the freedom here Mia." Lilly agreed.

On their third night away, Mia and Lilly had the time of their lives. They were out on the grass in front of their cabin, when two men appeared. "Come with us, beautiful ladies." Said one, holding his hand out to Lilly. "We'll show some good fun." Promised the other. "I don't know about this Mia." Lilly was a bit nervous. "Lilly, who cares. We're on holidays! We deserve to have a good time!" Mia pointed out. "True. Alright." Lilly agreed and so the men took them out.

They later found out that their names were James and Sam. "Thanks guys. We had a really great time tonight. Right Lilly?" Mia jabbed Lilly in the elbow, quite hard. "Right. Sure. Thanks." Lilly spluttered.

Lilly and Mia ended up going out with James and Sam every night for the rest of their holiday. On their lasty night away, James proposed to Lilly. "I can't." Lilly admitted, apologetically. "Why my Lilly?" James was shocked, as any man would be by the rejection of a proposal. "I'd be shunned." Lilly turned to Mia. "If you're shunned, I'm shunned." Mia promised. "We live in a really strict religious community. If we marry someone from outside that community, we'll be shunned." Mia explained, remembering the poor two guys standing before her and Lilly.

"Well in that case I will." Lilly agreed. "Better make that a double wedding mate." Sam elbowed James' side. "Mia," Sam turned to face Mia. "Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" He dropped to one knee and presented a huge diamond ring in a box. "Of course I will!" Sam lifted Mia up in the air and spun her in circles.

"Well that's the Mr and Mrs No Freedom Sooky Pants problem solved isn't it?" Mia dangled her legs on the end of the dock near their cabin. "Yep. Looks like we're not going back." Lilly agreed.

Lilly, James, Mia and Sam were married 6 months later and Mia and Lilly lived happily in reality.

The Big Race

I wanted, so much to be a runner, get into the olympics mabye, hopefully.

My big break came when I was in year 9. My PE teacher, Mr. Lowe told me about it. "There's a race down at the local oval for your age group. It's on in two weeks, so I'd train hard if I were you Catherine." He had said. So I did. I trained until everything inside of me hurt like hell.

It was 3 days until the big race when it happened. I had been training, again. I broke my leg.

Mum took me to the doctor's that very afternoon. "I'm sorry, Catherine, you won't be able to compete in the race." The Doctor told me. 'Great!' I thought sarcastically, 'this could've been my big break.'

It was another 3 months until another race came up. I got to compete in that one. And I won. I won a scholarship, including a trainer, a 3 year membership to a gym, and a 5 year scholarship to a running school. It was my big break, and the best day of my life.

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dedicated to Elizabeth, the best runner in town. You are going to ace every single race you enter. I know you can!