From All Things Tragedy

Chapter 1

Jessa

Waking up to sunshine and coffee is my favorite part of the day. Sunshine means that hopefully, this day will be different, and coffee because well... it is good. Today is the start of no more running I hope, for the past 11 years of my life I have lost things that were bigger than me and it just seems like a trail that will never end for me. First, my mother abandoned me at the age of 12 and then my father died a year after that. Not many of my family wanted me, so foster care seemed like the only option.

After home-to-home it became a steady routine until I found my family, or so I thought. My foster mom at the time hated me because of my past and baggage that I carried with me, so she took it out on me. Eventually, things did not get better and abuse seemed like the only thing that I knew. At the age of 15, I finally found my forever home with my foster family. I had two big brothers Jaxton and Ben and a younger sister Abby. They saved me and I am forever grateful, but that's when the nightmares came.

Every day I have been trying to let go of the what if's and move forward, but it has been heard. As I reach for my brown leather journal I can't help but think about how to move from the past, how to stop the nightmares from returning. I grab my journal and start to write down how the morning is going so far. Journaling has been a great way to help my anxiety and has been a great way to document how I feel from day-to-day. Quickly I get dressed for the day in some casual clothes and head to the kitchen.

"Hello sleepyhead," Ambrea says from the fridge

"Hey, what's new today"

"Nothing much, but classes in an hour, unfortunately. I am trying to get ahead in all my studies so I can finally have a weekend to enjoy" I respond back

"Yeah, you always seem to be busy" she looks at me with a half-smile

"I know, I'm sorry, it's just homework and work has me so busy"

If I did not have to work as much through school it would be easier for me. Currently, I and Ambrea met during freshmen orientation and we've been inseparable ever since. Last year we decided to get an apartment to be closer to campus, but have some more privacy. My parents offered to help pay rent while I worked and pay the utilities, I turned them down. My parents have given me so much in these last few years putting me through school, the least I could do was pay for my apartment.

Today I have class at noon until two-thirty and then work at three until nine tonight. Working seven hours Monday through Sunday is not ideal, but it seems to get the bills paid. Having time to study can be hard as well, but that is why I only work seven hours a week and during the weekends I work early until early afternoon. Ambrea works as well, but not long hours as I do, which has been because she goes to school on a scholarship, which gives her more money in her pocket to be flexible with fewer hours working and more to study and such.

I work at a local bookstore and cafe, it is not that bad since I love books and coffee. Sometimes when I am on my breaks I tend to have a cup of coffee and read a good book in my favorite spot. After eating a small breakfast I wave goodbye to Ambrea and make my way down the street to campus. I and Ambrea chose to live closer to campus so that we wouldn't have to drive and waste gas. Luckily we were able to get a nice downtown apartment that was 4 blocks away from campus.

"Jess, hey I've been meaning to catch up with you to get some notes for English lit," Carson says

"Well if you would show up to class maybe you would have then I sassed back"

"Yeah, I know, but you said that you would cover me" he mocked back while sitting down beside me"

"Okay, I'll copy them for you, but you owe me for when I don't want to come to class"