Joyce stared at herself in the mirror, frowning at a fresh pimple on her nose. At seventeen, her world felt like an endless stream of impossible problems. Her school’s group chat was buzzing with talk of the latest sneakers everyone seemed to be getting—but she already knew her parents would say no.
On top of that, Lucas, the boy she’d been secretly crushing on for months, passed her in the hallway without even noticing her.
“Joyce, dinner’s ready,” her mother called from downstairs. “I’m not hungry!” she yelled back.
The door creaked open. Her mom, Sandra, stepped in holding a plate and sat gently on the bed’s edge.
“I brought this in case you changed your mind,” she said, her face calm with the patience only years of parenting could teach.
“You don’t get it, Mom,” Joyce muttered. “Everyone’s getting those sneakers, and Lucas doesn’t even know I exist.”
Sandra tucked a strand of Joyce’s purple hair behind her ear. “When I was your age, I thought the world was ending every other week.
One day, you’ll look back and see these moments for what they are—tiny pieces of a much bigger picture.”
“You always say that,” Joyce grumbled.
“Because it’s true,” Sandra said gently. “And don’t forget—Aunt Elaine’s wedding is tomorrow.”
Joyce groaned.
“Do I really have to go? Everyone’s just going to interrogate me about college, like I’m supposed to have everything figured out already.”
“It’s just a few hours,” her mom replied with a sigh.
“Sometimes we show up for others, even when we don’t feel like it.
That’s part of growing up.”
At the wedding, the banquet hall sparkled with flowers and warm lighting. Joyce adjusted her plain black dress—a quiet protest against the pastel theme her mother had recommended. “Joyce!
It’s been ages,” her cousin Ingrid said, floating over in a pale pink gown.
“Your hair is… interesting.”
“Thanks,” Joyce replied coolly, knowing exactly what was meant. A group of cousins gathered nearby, all confidently discussing their futures.
“I’m going into law,” Tommy announced. “I’ll be studying medicine,” said Ingrid.
“Dad’s already lining up my internship.”
“What about you, Joyce?” Tommy asked with a smug smile.
The story doesn’t end here –
it continues on the next page.
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