Arcadia

[size=1][color="#CC0000"]_Hikaru_, please read through OB's rules (you can find them in the menu to your left) before posting again. Posts should have a purpose. If you want to write about your thoughts, you should check out myOtaku.com and think about creating your own blog. Otherwise, make sure that the next time you make a thread, it's relevant to the forum it's in. China, while I do appreciate your help, it's not your place to be modding the Arena. If you find an inappropriate post, just alert a moderator by clicking the exclamation point in the top right corner of the post and we'll get to it as soon as we can. If either of you have any questions, feel free to contact a moderator or check out OB's FAQ page or the Suggestions and Feedback forum for more information. - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]I think DK really touched on why myOtaku does so well with internet blogging - it's part of a much bigger community and it's all interconnected. It's much, much easier to find people with similar interests (especially because it's so anime oriented) and the variety of things you can creatively do with the site (like messing with the layout, taking quizzes, uploading fan art and wallpapers, etc) makes it much more fun. Overall there seems to be a very close-knit family feeling to theOtaku that is simply missing in other blogging sites like livejournal, freeopendiary, and xanga. That's what keeps members coming back for more. I update [url="http://www.myOtaku.com/users/arcadia"]myOtaku blog[/url] pretty regularly, but I also have a livejournal account. Both are a way to keep in touch with people and let them know what's going on with me on a more general level, only myOtaku is more for the people I meet here and livejournal is more for my friends back home. They're also both a great way to discuss various ideas or beliefs about books, movies, life, and/or whatever else strikes your fancy. I do agree with Azure that a blog is different from a journal. I use my blog to keep in touch with people, but I use my journal to keep in touch with myself. It's a much more private, personal way to write out my frustrations and get to the bottom of things that I might not be able to talk about otherwise. Both are hugely important to me in their own ways and I've been pretty consistant with both for a few years now. It's all about the communication. ^_^[/size]

[center]Chapter Two: Memoria Characters: All. See the Underground thread for specifics.[/center] Iara had very few memories of Memoria and the time she spent in the actual kingdom. Her family had lived its short-lived life in Rue, which was just north of Memoria. She remembered it looking small compared to the actual kingdom itself, and Rue wasn?t exactly a small ten-family village kind of deal. Memoria, though, was huge compared to Lerion. The buildings were vast and some of them seemed to stretch into the sky forever. Where Lerion was white, smooth nerferti, Memoria was metal in everyway possible. There were so many people, too. More then there ever were during market days in Lerion. The more she saw the more Iara began to feel out of place. It had taken them a while to get there, but from what she understood, many of the other Innocence were also from Lerion. She?s remarked that it was a fine coincidence, but the Draconian (he?d eventually introduced himself as Zerrin) had only arched his eyebrow in response and asked her, ?Is it?? She didn?t like the idea that she no longer had absolute control of things. Her Draconian companion represented her loss of that control in this vast kingdom and though she knew it wasn?t fair, she began to despise him because of it. What was even more unfair was the fact that Zerrin was entirely likeable and he made it very difficult for her to be angry and bitter. At the moment, he was discussing something with another of his kind, only this Draconian had dyed her wings a very rich purple hue. What looked like a curved sword was slung across her back. From the way that the woman held herself, Iara had no doubt that she could use it. They were speaking in low tones and the red mage had the particular feeling that the conversation somehow had to do with her abduction. As if on cue, the female Draconian glanced in her direction before murmuring something to Zerrin. He responded and then she saluted him before taking off into the sky. The gusts from her gorgeous wings swept past Iara, brushing her hair and her grayish dress backwards. The red mage watched her disappear behind a skyscraper before asking lightly, ?Did you have a nice conversation?? Zerrin folded his emerald wings behind him and observed her for a brief moment. ?That,? he eventually said, ?was Teviah, and she is going to retrieve her Innocence before joining us. We will then make our way to the palace where you will have all your answers.? ?Oh, wonderful.? ?Before that, though, we have some much needed shopping to do.? He smirked a little at her raised eyebrow before turning her towards a nearby shop with very tall windows. There were colorful robes on display, many of them made from very expensive material. Some were a little more done up than others, but they were all for very formal, proper occasions and Iara felt another little piece of her pride chip off as Zerrin said, ?There are certain things you need to know before you can be presented to his majesty and to the Elder Innocence. While we?re waiting for Teviah and her white mage Innocence, we can go over those in great detail.? It was obvious from the look in her eyes that Iara was not exactly brimming in excitement at the prospect of a lesson in court etiquette, but at this point she thought it was probably best if she saved her arguments for later when they would really be needed. Part of her felt pity for the other Innocence who would no doubt go through the same torture that she was being put through now. The more she thought about the others, the more curious Iara became. Even if she was here against her will, she at least wasn?t the only one and there was some comfort in that, as strange as it was. And she would be meeting this other mage before the real introductions began. It wasn?t much of a leg up, but it was a definite start. ?Oh, look at this lovely little number,? Zerrin broke into her thoughts then, holding up a hideous robe that her grandmother might have worn on a bad day. Iara knew then that it was going to be a miracle if she made it out of any of this alive.

[size=1]All right, the second chapter to Paranoia will be posted shortly (as in, after I finish this). This chapter has a specific order to it, and you should all have PMs in your boxes that will go into a little more detail about your posts in this chapter. With that said, here's the basics: Chapter Two: Memoria Characters: All. The posting order is as follows: 1. A. Arcadia 1. B. Saishi 2. James 3. Kitty 4. A. Doukeshi03 4. B. Ben 5. Patronus 6. Treno 7. vicky 8. Onyx 9. A. Pandemonium 9. B. Bio All of the characters are introduced to Memoria and learn a little more about what the future holds in store for them. So there you go. If you have any questions about this chapter, post them here. Patronus is still having internet trouble (as far as I'm aware) but hopefully this will give everyone enough time to figure things out. [/size]

[size=1][color="#CC0000"]MagnaAngemon, please [url="http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=44318"][b]read this sticky[/b][/url] before you post again on the boards. There are a few things you need to know about RPGs here on the boards before you continue. One of them is that [b]all RPGs must have a rating or they will be closed[/b]. This thread will be deleted in a few days time so if you want anything saved, copy and paste it now. You can repost the idea, but only if you remember to follow the rules and include a proper rating in the title. RPGs should also have a fairly detailed backstory. A few decent paragraphs are necessary in order for your story to progress - it shows that you've put some time and effort into the RPG and it also gives members a better idea of what they have to work with. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to let me know. - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1][color="#CC0000"]Second verse, same as the first. This thread is a year old and has been inactive for some time. MagnaAngemon, make sure you check the dates on these before you bring them back. Also be sure to [b]read the sticky[/b] - it's there for a reason. ^_~ I'd also try to put a little more effort into your sign-ups. The more dynamic and interesting your character is, the better the RPGing experience will be and the more likely you'll get accepted into the story. If you have any questions you can contact a moderator or check out the Suggestions and Feedback forum. - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1][color="#CC0000"]This thread is well over a year old and is no longer active. Please check the dates on threads before you reply. It's a good idea to stay on the first couple pages in the Inn because those are the most recent and active RPGs. Please look through the Inn's sticky before you do anything else. The rules are important and very simple and they'll keep you out of trouble. ^_~ Thread closéd![/color][/size]

[size=1]I think we've pretty much shown that it depends on what you're being bought for, heh. For example, I would [i]never[/i] kill somebody for any amount of money because that's twisted and wrong. I would, however, flash anybody for a fair amount of money, despite the fact that I generally don't show off a lot of skin. It's not my cup of tea, thank you. I'm pretty confident that I would never take a bribe, no matter how much it is. I really despise that, and knowing that I do feel strongly about a lot of my beliefs, I don't think I could be persuaded to think otherwise. It pretty much depends on what is important to you.[/size]

[size=1]I voted for all of them. I doubt that's very helpful, but I guess it just goes to show how easy I am. Er, easy to please. [b]Fantasy[/b] has always been one of my favorites just because of the wide variety of ideas that go with it, as James pointed out. Fantasy doesn't necessarily have to have magic or faeries or dragons in order to work, but generally my favorite ones are the kind that explore different ideas about magic and spirituality... those are fun. I'm also very fond of [b]sci-fi[/b] although I feel like there aren't a whole lot of those kind here. Or at least, not in the way that I'm thinking of. But I get a huge kick out of imagining the kinds of things that we can do and create with technology, both the good and the bad. Most of the sci-fi I've seen around here have always been based off of a pre-existing story, which is a nice start, but I'd love to see somebody come up with something original and awesome. Along the same lines, I don't think that [b]real life[/b] gets a lot of attention. I guess that also depends on what you define "real life" as. Usually it's combined with fantasy or has unrealistic aspects to go with it, but there have been a few historical fictions things done that were pretty awesome. You definitely don't see a lot of RPGs tackling every day issues and that's also a little disappointing because I think people write most strongly when they write with experience. ^_~[/size]

[size=1][color="#CC0000"]This thread has been closed because it does not have a proper rating, but there are a few other things I'd like to point out as well so we don't make the same mistakes again. Ditsy_Taurus888, please do not double post. If you have information you would like to add, simply use the edit option on your post. It much easier and keeps the thread clean and tidy. Also, be sure to copy and paste anything you don't already have saved because it will be deleted in a few days time. You can repost the idea if you want to but you [b]must[/b] follow the rules. lil kitsune boy, if you want to plug something, please use your signature to advertise it instead of somebody else's RPG thread. That's not very cool. Remember to [b]read OB's rules[/b] as well as the [b]Inn's sticky[/b] for more information about how the boards and the Inn work. If you have any questions feel free to contact a moderator or check out the Suggestions and Feedback forum. ^_^ - Arcadia [/color][/size]

[size=1][color="#CC0000"]This thread does not have a rating and thus it must be closed. Pandia, please read through the Inn's sticky at the top of the forum for more information about ratings as well as general rules for the Inn. If you would like anything saved, I suggest you copy and paste it into Word because this thread will be deleted in a few days time. You may also try this idea again but you have to remember to include a rating in the title. Again, please read through the sticky. If you have any questions, you can private message a moderator or check out the Suggestions and Feedback forum for more information. ^_^ - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[quote name='Siren']We're just dust in the wind, so why not make the best of it.[/quote] [size=1]Yeah, really. You know you're going to be here for a while so you might as well make the most of it. I don't think it really matters if you believe in fate or destiny or not, as long as you live your life according to your own beliefs and dreams. Be active, go out and have fun and make some crazy memories so that when you get old you don't look back and think about all the things you didn't do instead of the ones you did. Sinatra said it best: "I did it my way." Personally, it's my life mission to make every one a little weirder. Laughter is the best medicine, and such.[/size]

[size=1][color="#CC0000"]DNADigivolve, please don't bring back old and inactive RPGs. It clutters up the Inn and it can get confusing when members are looking for new RPGs to join. It's generally a wise idea to stay on the first couple pages when looking for something to join (that, and always check the date, heh). Just in case you haven't yet, read over OB's rules and the Inn's sticky to get a little more familiar with how the boards and specifically the Arena work before you post again. If you have any questions, you can private message a moderator or take them up in the Suggestions and Feedback forum. ^_^[/color][/size]

[size=1]As of now, I would say that the happiest I have ever been would be a span of three weeks I spent in Europe a couple summers ago. I love history and I absolutely adore all things from ancient civilizations, so being able to actually stand in the coloseum or ride a gondola in Venice or stand right next to Winged Victory in the Louvre or visit the Parthenon or walk through the ruins of Pompeii was an experience that I will [i]never[/i] forget for as long as I live. I can say with reasonable confidence that I have never been happier. I need to look at the pictures again. lol[/size]

[quote name='Panda'] Unconditional love from pets is an amazing thing. No one in the world greets you when you come home like a dog will. Whether you are gone for 5 minutes or 5 days they will be overwhelmed with happiness at your return.[/quote] [size=1]I couldn't agree with you more. I absolutely adore pets and though all my family has at the moment are a whole bunch of koi fish, we only recently had the best yellow lab in the world. She actually passed away at the beginning of the fall semester and even though I still miss her tons, she's was old and in pain and I'm glad she doesn't have to go through that anymore. She was a real sweet heart, though. Labs are well known to be very playful and energetic and she was both of these but she was also very quiet. She hardly ever barked, and I don't ever remember a time when she jumped on somebody. She was the family dog, but there was kind of a hierarchy of who she paid the most attention to when we raised our voices. Dad always came first, and then me, mostly because I spoiled her. And despite being 90 lbs (she was a big dog, heh), she loved to cuddle and be loved. She used to do this thing where she'd come up to the couch where one of us was sitting and sit right next to us and lean on us. I think that I was her favorite pillow, and vice-versa. You can see her [url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/studded_tonfa/IMG_1588.jpg"]here engaging in one of her favorite past times[/url]. Casey was the best. Anyway, I'm the kind of person who can't go into a pet store without wanting to take all the animals home with me. Eventually I'd like to have some birds. I love them, and I love the whistling. My grandmother has birds and it never gets old. Talking to them is so much fun, heh. I like cats, too, though I consider myself more of a dog person. My neighbor has a few cats, though, and they all seem to like me pretty well. One of them in particular, Meeko, always comes over for attention when he sees us outside. He's incredibly big and fluffy and is the most affectionate cat I've ever seen. We've let him in the house a couple times, once while Casey was still alive, with interesting effects. Needless to say, Meeko is kind of an adopted cat, even though he doesn't technically live with us and we don't feed him or bathe him or anything. lol[/size]

[size=1]My family has frequently been likened to the Brady Bunch and I find that a little disturbing. I prefer the Cosbys myself. With that said, though, we all get along really, really well. I love my brother (15) and sister (18) to death and we all talk regularly (Jen actually goes to the same school I do so I see her all the time). When we're all at home together we have a great time just hanging out, playing cards or darts or video games, going to movies, going bowling... the list goes on. The same goes for my parents, actually... my dad still plays video games from time to time, heh. ^_^; I can't say that I have a better relationship with either one of the siblings because one is male and one is female and that, among other things, makes a difference. Me and Jen are very close in age and we get along amazingly well. Most people comment on how weird that is. It's not like we don't fight, but now that we don't live with each other it makes a huge difference, heh (which I guess can also be said for the whole family). We're both nerds, although she's a math and science nerd, but we like writing and reading and movies and sports and we have a lot of the same tastes in just about anything but guys, so it works out really well. lol My brother is the kind of kid that can pretty much do anything, but he's very into journalism and theatre like I was in high school. I feel like Matt and I are a little more outgoing and easy going and we both enjoy a very quirky sense of humor (read: we're also very dorky and goofy and we love to show it off). And despite the fact that I'm like four and a half years older than he is, he's taller then I am and sometimes that results in me being tossed around like a potato sack. But I am still the older sister and I make sure he remembers that. ^_~ I've always gotten along pretty well with my parents but I think college makes a huge difference in that relationship especially. Thinking about how much more mature I am now then when I was a senior in high school is ridiculous, and I think that helps a lot because I feel like I understand them a little more. I think that I have more in common with my dad, though. He was also an English major, and he's very into Shakespeare and literature and music. I can talk with him for hours about anything, and I probably tell my dad the most stuff out of anybody in the family (beside my dog, but she's gone now T.T). We've also come to regard religion and spirituality in the same light, which is both amazing (because let's just say our views aren't exactly orthodox) and not surprising (because he is, after all, my dad). My mom, though. As much as I love and respect her, we've had our struggles over the years, and I kind of feel like there are still a lot of issues there to be resolved, but that's another story entirely. In high school we argued all the time because I was a punk and I sucked. At the same time, though, I'm the oldest kid in the family and I was the only one who would stand up to both of my parents (and some aspects I still am) and I think that also kind of strained our relationship because I had to say things I didn't want to say. I think she understands that now, but it really sucked then. I also procrastinate a lot, but I was much worse back then and my mother is the opposite of that, and that is not a good mix. There are other, more personal problems now that I have to sort out on my own before I can even think about talking to her. But with all of that said, we do get along really well, heh. She's very intelligent and I get a lot of my liberal tendencies from both her and my dad. She's as into books and movies as the rest of us and, of course, has a very goofy streak. Above everything though, my mom gave up her career for me and became a stay-at-home mom, and she has been active in every phase of my life since then, from girl scouts to the PTA to thespians and everything in between, and I admire her so much for that. So, yeah. My family gets along smashingly well. We're not picture perfect at all, and there are definite problems, but we can handle those because we both like and love each other and that's what family is all about anyway. They're the most important people in my life. ^_^ Edit: Alan, I'm still trying to get over your name/gender changing abilities... o_O;[/size]

[size=1]At this point, I don't think I'm ever going to leave the school environment, and frankly I can't even fathom it. It's hard enough to believe that I'm almost already done with my second year. I feel like I haven't even done anything yet. I've had some good classes and some not so good ones, but I guess they all build up towards that degree in the end anyway. I also plan to go to grad school, but for what exactly, I'm not yet sure. I'm majoring in English right now and it's the best decision I've ever made in terms of schooling. I [i]enjoy[/i] my classes, I like reading and doing the research and writing the papers, and I can't say the same for any of the other majors I've had and/or thought about. I imagine that by the end of my four years I'll have narrowed down that general "English" major to something with more of a focus, like Shakespeare or Short Stories or British Literature or something. I want a Masters at this point because I feel like it's becoming increasingly important to continue onto grad school in order to get a good job and it'll definitely look good when applying for said job, but mostly I just want the experience and the extra knowledge. And I'm the kind of person who tries to be the best at what she does, so it's pretty much the most natural thing for me to do after I graduate. Florida State was the only college I applied to and I do and do not regret that. I should not have been as lazy as I was in filling out those college applications, but senior year I was burnt out and I didn't care because I knew I'd get in. And I did. And it's definitely been awesome so far, and I have enough faith in the English program here, its reputation, and its ability to propel me into a decent grad school somewhere. I don't know if I'll stay here for grad school or not, but I'm kind of leaning towards going somewhere else. I think that studying abroad in the fall later this year is going to have a big effect on all of this so making plans now is kind of useless. I do agree with you, Tony, about the expectations of college students to have figured out exactly what they want to do. There's a lot of emphasis here to get in and out in four years, to pick a major right away and stick with it, and it's really just a load of ********. Like Hevn said, you've got plenty of time to decide what you want to do with your life - don't let other people's expectations rule you, just do what you want to do. My dad, for instance, is 40-something and is seriously thinking about getting a teaching license for high school after being in business for most of his life, heh. As long as you enjoy what you do, I don't think it matters what it is and when and how you got around to it. Being happy is what's important. ^_~[/size]

[size=1]I'm posting to update you all on the next chapter's progress as I am sure that you are all wondering what is going on. I'm still working on it. I have something prepared but I hesitate to start it just yet because there is some information that I'd like to discuss with Patronus. He, however, has had some internet trouble as of late, so it's been difficult getting things done. So that is our current situation as of now. I am prepared, however, to post the chapter if the wait becomes too long and we'll just have to deal with whatever happens. Look for PMs and additions to this thread in the next week or so. If you guys want to discuss anything, feel free to reply. ^_~[/size]

?Where are my clothes?? The girl hovering by my dryer looked at me with big eyes and said, ?Oh, I put them over there.? I looked towards the clothes, then my dryer, then her, and then I just snapped. I pushed her in the dryer headfirst and turned it on high. ?Don?t take my clothes out of the dryer!?

[size=1]I've heard a lot about the weird weather as of late as being part of a cycle that starts up near the beginning of each millenium. I don't know how accurate that is, but the idea of the reoccuring cycle makes sense to me, especially when you realize that these strange changes are happening all over the world. Here in Florida we got a landmark number of hurricanes to hit the coast this season. I've lived here for about 18 years, and there haven't been any hurricanes to really travel across the entire state as Charlie, Ivan, and Francis did in about a decade. Then you think about the recent tsunamis and quakes over in the Pacific, as well as the buckets of snow that the north is seeing (compared to pretty mild winters here in the south - I wore a t-shirt yesterday), and you figure there's definitely something going on. It would be interesting to find some articles about this, actually. I'll try and find some and post them here later. :p[/size]

[size=1]I like tattoos, but I prefer the smaller ones to larger ones. As others have mentioned it really depends on the size and location of the tattoo. I'm not into the ones that completely cover your arms, torso, legs, and any other part of your body. However, if a guy had a relatively smaller tattoo on his shoulder, maybe part of his chest or lower back, and I found him attractive, I would gladly jump him. With that said, though, I really think that the tattoo should have some kind of greater meaning other than just "looking cool". I don't like the butterflies that a lot of girls get. You don't get a tattoo because it's a trendy thing to do. You get it because it's symbolic of something that is important to you. I have a friend who got a design on her lower back done in memory of her father, and that to me is beautiful. Another friend got a dragon done on her leg, and it looks great and is easy to cover up if need be. That's the other thing - the location is so important. There are a lot of employers who simply won't hire you if you can't cover them up. Also, especially with women, what do you think will happen to that tattoo on your belly when you get married and start having kids? You think the picture is going to stay all crisp and cute-looking? lol Me and my siblings have all also agreed that when Matt (my brother) turns 18, we're going to get very small, matching four leaf clovers. The four leafs stand for faith (in our case, faith in our family), hope, love, and luck. It's a kind of bonding thing, not only to each other but also to our partial Irish heritage. It's great to me because it's something creative and lasting that we can do together, and it also shows how important we are to each other.[/size]

[size=1]Thanks a lot, guys. This is awesome, I really appreciate all the positive feedback. It's kind of hard for me to change my writing if I don't know that something is wrong, and trying to get my friends at school to actually read it and critique it intelligently is ridiculously hard - let's just say they aren't writers and leave it at that. The workshop is Monday and I'll update you all with the extra stuff I learned then. I figure this kind of information helps everyone, not just me. Learn from example, and such. On that note, though, I know the beginning of this is weak right now. It's rushed and I feel like it's blatant exposition and I don't think I like that a whole lot. Oh well, it's still a rough draft. With all of your suggestions and from what I learn in class Monday, I'm sure I'll be able to shape into what I want it to be. ^_~ P.S. Alex, you weren't kidding about the Nazi thing. lol[/size]

[size=1][color="#CC0000"]ShadowsRebel, I'd advise you to look over OB's rules and the Inn's sticky before you continue to post on the boards. There are a few rules you're missing and they're very important if you'd like to stick around and get into more things. First of all, there is no double posting, so any information you want to add to a previous post can just be edited in. Second, the Inn is not for role-playing. It is for recruiting different members to join your story. Once you've got enough people, you take the story over to the Adventure Square and begin the RPG there. Third, all RPGs must have a thread rating in the title or they will be closed immediately. Again, read through the sticky (at the top of the forum) and choose a rating that you think is most appropriate to your RPG. You might also want to think about including standard sign-ups for Kira, Kouji, and various other mediums. Take a look around at other RPGs (or just check out the example in the sticky) to get a better idea of how things are put to use there. You have the chance to re-post this RPG and recruit players for it as long as you follow the rules and include a proper rating. As of now, however, this thread will be deleted in a few days so if there's anything you want saved I would copy and paste it now. If you have any more questions, you can either PM me or another moderator or check out the Suggestions and Feedback Forum for more information. Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[QUOTE=Siren]I had one yesterday, as I was on the train to class. In my Fiction Workshop, we were having a class critique, and I was reading through one girl's piece. It was only three pages long, but I found myself marking it up with copious amounts of ink. It was as if I was striking something, writing a note in the margin, or simply "Show don't tell" nearly every other line. I know I'm going to be the type of instructor that students either love or hate, but I have a feeling my Comp courses are going to actually prepare students for college and higher-level Lit courses. I'm going to be such a beast when it comes to writing. My students are going to so hate me, lol.[/QUOTE] [size=1]I would love to hate you if you did that to my paper. I agree entirely, though - you're not going to learn anything if your papers aren't properly graded. Especially in lit classes - the entire thing is about words, damn it. You're going to learn to use them, and you're going to like it. The "show don't tell" thing made me laugh because I hear that every day in my fiction technique class. It's so awesome. I was talking to Shy about this before, but it's really amazing to see how much my style has changed already because of this class. I'm approaching stories from a whole new perspective, and it's awesome. ^_^[/size]

[size=1]All right, I've worked a little more on this. There's new stuff before and after the scene you guys already read, so I humbly suggest reading through it all. Again, don't be afraid to rip it apart - I'm an English major, I'm kind of used to that. ^_~ Also, if you have any suggestions for the title, I would love to hear them. [center][b]Workshop Story, Second Version[/b][/center] For as long as she could remember, Maria was never Maria. Instead, she was always "somebody else?s something": Alina?s little sister or Fernando?s youngest daughter. She was younger than Alina and their older brother Alex by a couple years, and yet older than the twins Alvar and Anthony by another couple. And, she was about to graduate. At one point, she wasn?t quite sure under which name it would be exactly. All of that changed that morning when her counselor called her up to the office. ?You?ve got some mail,? she had said, and Maria understood immediately. It would be about college. She desperately wanted to go, but her parents seemed to decide on their own that she would stay home for a year so that she could save some money and grow up a little more. Maria wanted to use the year to grow up in Chicago, and she was determined to take out a million student loans in order to make that happen. Because of their disagreement on the matter, however, Maria thought it wise to get her letters through the school rather than at home. When she?d appeared in the office, nervously tugging on the ends of her jacket, her counselor merely smiled and handed over the thick white envelope. The rest of the day seemed to pass in a glorious speeding haze. The smile she wore was irrepressible. She?d barely managed to register the bell when it rung, sounding the end of the class day. Grabbing her things, she?d hurried down to the photo lab to share the good news with her instructor Ms. Hennessy, who?d encouraged her to apply in the first place, and then left to meet up with her friends for the drive home. It wasn?t until she was sitting in the backseat of Michael?s civic, gazing dreamily out the window when another thought registered. Sitting up abruptly, she remarked, ?Oh my God, I have to tell my parents.? Michael glanced at her in the rearview mirror, an eyebrow raised. ?Tell them about what?? It was unlike her to keep anything from him, seeing as they?d been friends since the fourth grade. Lately, though, things had started to take a different turn, and as close as they were, Maria wasn?t sure how well that news would go over with him. As far as she knew he had plans to stay home and go to school here. Barbara, on the other hand, knew a great deal about everyone and took great joy in turning to look Maria full in the eye. ?You haven?t told him?? Maria scowled at her. As nosey as she was, Barbara was her best friend and had been the first person she?d told. She was also already set to move out to California in order to attend her first choice university. Maria admired that in her, and she admired her strength. Barbara would have been able to stand up to her family, she was sure. ?You haven?t told me what?? Michael repeated, scratching his dark hair absently. ?I got a letter from Columbia today,? Maria said. ?They accepted me.? He stared at her, studying every aspect of her face as a painter would. ?Chicago Columbia?? ?Yes,? she agreed. Barbara seemed to hesitate a second before reaching for the radio. ?Can?t they play anything other than crap?? She asked, shaking her head. ?I swear, a blind monkey could pick better songs than this guy.? ?Would probably look better too,? Michael quipped then, and the tension in the car eased considerably. Not another word was said about college or Columbia until they pulled into Maria?s driveway. As always, he got out with her and helped her get her book bag from the trunk. As he held open the lid, he sighed and gave her a sidelong glance. ?Columbia?? ?I know,? she murmured, and shrugged her bag on her shoulder. She just didn?t know what else to say. He shut the trunk and patted the top of it anxiously a couple times before asking her, ?What are you doing later?? Maria shrugged again. ?Homework. Hiding from my sister?s wedding stuff. Why?? ?I want to talk about this,? he said, and then added casually, ?And other things.? ?All right.? That kind of talk sounded so much more agreeable to her than the one that she needed to have with her family. She smiled at him and stepped into his hug. Every new one seemed a little better than the last one, and this was no exception. ?Congratulations,? he whispered, and then kissed her cheek before letting her go. Barbara gave Maria a wave as she headed in and shouted at the top of her lungs, ?Good luck, you wretched girl,? as they pulled out of the driveway. Maria returned the wave before sighing and turning to go in. The house was, as always, a chaotic mess. The twins? left their sports equipment lying every which way, including the cups, which were dented from their experiments on how much the plastic, white, protective device could handle. There were random shoes kicked under tables, books tossed on top, and jackets thrown over chairs. Alina?s wedding preparations were not a positive addition. Maria was beginning to feel claustrophobic in her own home. There wasn?t a day that went by when she didn?t regret the fact that she had to walk through that door and into this confusion. Columbia would be her ticket out. She was depending on it. She wandered into the kitchen, throwing her bag under the counter. It contained her precious letter and as proud as she was at being accepted, she needed to be able to work up a game plan before confronting her parents. Her mother and Alina were working at the kitchen table on Alina?s wedding invitations. Maria was glad that her sister was happy, but she didn?t like the fact that her wedding was taking over the entire house. She muttered a quick hello to them before heading to the fridge, content to eat the sandwich she?d saved for an afternoon snack. ?How was class, dear?? Her mother asked, carefully addressing an envelope. ?Ah, it was?? Whatever contrite expression she had begun to say fell from her lips as she began to realize that her sandwich was nowhere to be found. There is only so much that a person can take, and now, Maria was officially at breaking point. Standing there in the kitchen, her hand white with tension where she gripped the refrigerator door, she stared hard at the spot where her leftover Cuban ham sandwich should have been. She?d saved that sandwich, wrapped it carefully and lovingly within its little plastic to-go box, and had purposely hid it behind the numerous cans of soda so that it could be out of site and safe from hungry, grubby fingers. Apparently, though, it had not been safe enough. In a tight voice, she asked, ?Who took my sandwich?? Her mother looked up from the wedding invitations. Though the idea to make the invitations themselves had originally been Alina?s, their mother had the tendency to quietly but efficiently slip in and gain control of any given situation. It was impossible to call her on it, though ? she always had such an unobtrusive look about her and could easily knock out any such allegations with a polite blink of her round doe eyes. She?d done the same with most of the wedding, in fact. And despite the fact that they could have easily paid any number of people to do the invitations for them, their mother had insisted that they make the cards themselves. It was, in all truthfulness, par for course for their artistically inclined control freak of a mother but that didn?t stop Maria from eyeing the piles of tinted sheer paper and colorful, handwritten messages with something bordering exasperation. Pausing in her diligent efforts to stuff the envelopes, her mother blinked at her and inquired in a hesitant sort of way, ?Maria?? It nearly sounded as though with that one word, her mother wasn?t just asking after her; it was as if she was questioning her daughter?s entire existence. And while a part of her knew that her mother just hadn?t heard her, Maria realized then that that was the real problem, finally bubbling to the surface: no one in the family seemed to hear her anymore. She could feel all her pent up frustration and rage roaring inside her like a caged animal, fighting to be let loose. ?My sandwich,? she managed to repeat, sounding a little more desperate then she would have liked, ?The one I brought home from Panera? It?s gone.? Her sister, without looking up from her wedding invitations, said plainly, ?Dad probably ate it, like always.? As Maria?s face dropped, her mother added in the sweet but nagging tone that only a mother can employ so artfully, ?I?m sure he?ll buy you another one, dear.? That was the last straw ? the cage broke open. Maria slammed the fridge door shut and ignored the clinking sounds the magnets made as they were dislodged at impact and thrown to the floor. ?I don?t want another sandwich! I wanted that one.? Her sister looked up then, her mouth pulled down in annoyance. ?Maria. It?s just a sandwich.? ?It?s not just a sandwich. It?s my sandwich, my personal, private sandwich,? she protested, not entirely sure if she was really thinking about the sandwich at all anymore. She laid her hand flat against her chest, patting for emphasis, her eyes bright with feeling. ?It?s mine. Only mine.? Seeming slightly disturbed by this unexpected outburst, her mother put the envelope she was holding down and sat back in the old kitchen chair, her attention focused completely on Maria. ?Honey, is something wrong?? Maria ran a hand through her hair, fingers stretched wide as if looking for something to hold onto. ?No. Yes. Why can?t anybody in this stupid house just leave what?s mine alone? For once, can?t I just have some privacy?? Something seemed to click behind her mother?s eyes. ?This isn?t about the sandwich,? she said. She hesitated. ?No,? Maria agreed, and then went to retrieve her school bag from behind the kitchen counter. She?d left it there when she first came in, careful to keep it out of sight as well. It held something inside it that was more important than the sandwich; something that was, in its entirety, Maria?s. ?I got a letter from Columbia,? she said carefully, pulling the thick, white envelope out as she spoke. ?They?ve accepted me.? ?Columbia?? Her mother repeated. ?But I thought ?? She stopped as her daughter handed her the small package and slowly began to thumb through the contents. After what seemed like an intolerably long moment of silence, she finally murmured, ?I see.? In what appeared to Maria to be the worst possible timing, her father came home. They heard the front door shut and seconds later, he appeared in the kitchen doorway, loosening his tie. There was another awkward pause as he took in their serious expressions before he asked in his native Spanish, ?What?s going on here?? Her mother simply handed him the envelope with all of its papers. He took one look at it, his brow creasing unfavorably, and then glanced up at Maria. ?What?s this?? She swallowed. ?It?s from Columbia College in Chicago. I applied to go to school there and I got in.? He set his briefcase down, very slowly and deliberately, so that Maria knew this conversation had only just begun. ?But you?re staying home. We?ve already discussed this, Maria.? She frowned. ?I didn?t decide that, you did.? ?Isn?t that the same thing?? ?No,? Maria cried in frustration, ?No it?s not. I thought this was my future to decide. I thought this was my life. Why are you trying to take that away from me?? Her mother cut in, her voice placating. ?No one is trying to take anything from you, dear.? ?Except for my sandwich,? Maria said tersely. She was tightly wound in her defense, like a coiled snake ready to strike. ?Maria,? her father broke in, a sharp warning in his voice. ?Stop being dramatic. The decision is that you will take this year off and get a job in order to save up for school. We do not have the money for you to screw around half way across the country.? ?And yet Alina gets this big, frilly wedding?? Maria gestured towards the invitations spread out on the table. ?Suddenly there?s enough money for that?? Alina looked as though she had something pleasant to say to her sister for including her in the discussion, but her mother was quick to defend her handmade invitations and everything that they stood for. ?Maria, that?s not the same thing.? ?Isn?t it? Why is she allowed to leave but I?m not?? There was no immediate answer. Maria took a breath and jumped forward again, standing up as tall as she could in that daunting kitchen. ?I?m eighteen, I?m ready. I?m [i]more[/i] than ready! I don?t want to skip a year and then get trapped into staying here forever. I don?t want Alina?s life. I don?t want to be known as Alina?s sister or Fernando?s daughter. I want to be able to be on my own, to figure things out for myself, and I?ll never be able to do that here. I want to go to Chicago and study art and photography. I want to see what I?m [i]capable[/i] of.? Alina stood abruptly, her dark hair swinging forward as she leaned across the table and eyed her sister coldly. ?Nobody asked you if you [i]wanted[/i] to be my sister, [i]hermanita[/i], you just are. Live with it.? She grabbed her keys after that and walked out of the kitchen, looking as cold and beautiful as a diamond. Maria was thrown off her guard, still looking back to the doorway Alina had just walked through. Fernando took the moment to make his will iron again and said in that same deliberate voice, ?We?ll talk about this later.? He dropped the envelope on the edge of the table in a way that seemed to speak about the finality of the matter. Unbalanced, it turned over and spilled its contents onto the floor. Maria felt the room close in on her. She waited for someone else to pick up the papers but when no one did, she dropped to her knees and shuffled them back into some semblance of order, trying desperately not to cry. [/size]