It was the first day of Arielle's final year at Westland High, and she was determined to make it her most unforgettable one yet. As she stood in front of her mirror, gazing at her reflection, she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement mixed with a tinge of rebellion. This year was going to be different. She wasn't going to let it slip by like the previous years, ruled by her mother's list of strict rules and expectations. No, this was her year, and she was going to live it on her own terms she concluded.
Arielle had written down a secret plan, one that she had carefully written down on a piece of paper and tucked inside her diary, which she fondly called *Arielle's Heart*. She looked at the list again, a mischievous smile playing on her lips as she read the four bold goals she had set for herself:
1. Go clubbing.
2. Skip classes to go shopping with Brenda.
3. Experience her first kiss.
4. Fall in love or date someone.
She wanted to break all the rules her mother had so carefully laid out for her. Arielle had always been the "perfect daughter"—following the strict guidelines her mother had enforced, like no clubbing, no staying out late, and absolutely no boys. But this year, things were going to change.
Her turning point had come after reading a book online called *Girls with No Experience*. The book explored the lives of girls who had missed out on the excitement of teenage years and painted a vivid picture of what it meant to be young, wild, and free. The idea of graduating high school without any of those experiences terrified Arielle. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she had wasted her time playing by the rules. Now, she was ready to rewrite her story and do the don'ts of her mother
Arielle had never dated anyone before. Sure, she had received countless proposals, but she had always turned them down. She never felt attracted to anyone or maybe she never allowed herself to. In her mind, dating and falling in love were things that would interfere with her responsibilities as the vice president of the student council. She was admired by her classmates and respected by her teachers. Westland High had never seen a more capable and effective leader.
But all this felt less intriguing to her, she wanted to do more .
Arielle wasn't always the confident, composed girl everyone saw today. In fact, in middle school, she had been the opposite. Bullies had tormented her pulling her hair, pushing her around, and making her feel less of herself, She had been quiet, too afraid to fight back. The boys grew bolder with every tear she shed. It wasn't until she met Brenda that things started to change.
Brenda had been fierce, strong, and unapologetically bold. Arielle noticed that the bullies never dared to mess with Brenda, so she made a strategic decision to befriend her. From then on, Brenda became Arielle's protector, and together, they were unstoppable. The bullies didn't stand a chance. It was Brenda who gave Arielle the courage to stand up for herself, and soon enough, Arielle was fighting back not just for herself, but for others as well.
That's how they met Collin.
One afternoon after school, Arielle saw a group of boys cornering Collin, trying to forcefully take money from him. He was outnumbered, helpless on the ground as they rifled through his bag. Without thinking, Arielle rushed over and took down the three boys, leaving one of them with a broken nose. From that day on, Collin became a part of their tight-knit group, the *ABC Trio*. Together, they were legendary throughout middle school, and their bond only grew stronger when they entered high school.
***
Now, at 18, Arielle was the last child of the Jones family and their only daughter. Her older twin brothers, Jake and James, were both away at college, leaving her as the center of attention for her parents particularly her overprotective mother. Mrs. Jones had always had a list of do's and don'ts for Arielle. She wasn't allowed to go to parties, stay out after 6 PM, or have a boyfriend. Mr. Jones, her father, was more lenient and indulged her when he could, often letting her sleep over at Brenda's house.
But after reading *Girls with No Experience*, something shifted in Arielle. She no longer wanted to live by her mother's rules. She wanted to explore the world beyond what was expected of her, to live freely, and to experience everything she had been missing out on.
Arielle grabbed her diary and scribbled down her thoughts:
*Dear Diary, this is a new year at school, and I am ready to explore. This is the dawn of a new Arielle.*
She closed the diary with a sense of satisfaction and immediately called Brenda.
"Hey, let's go shopping," Arielle said. There was a sense of excitement in her voice that Brenda wasn't used to.
"Wait, are you for real?" Brenda asked, surprised.
"Yes, I'll be ready in an hour. Let's make this year count."
Brenda arrived an hour later, still in shock. "What changed, Arielle? You've never been this excited about anything. Is there something you're not telling me?"
Arielle smiled slyly. "Nothing really. I just want this year to be different."
"Hmm," Brenda raised an eyebrow. "If that's the case, we're starting with a hair trim. Your hair's getting too long."
"Fine," Arielle agreed.
After the hair salon, they spent hours shopping, laughing, and enjoying the day. They even stopped at McDonald's for a quick bite.
"This is the new Arielle, huh?" Brenda teased. "I like her. This is going to be a fun year."
Hours later, they parted ways, promising to meet again Monday morning for the first day of school. Brenda made Arielle swear that she would look her absolute best for the first day at school and Arielle, feeling more alive than ever, agreed.
This year was hers to own, and she wasn't going to let anything stand in her way—not her mother's rules, not her fears, and defini
tely not her past.
This was the dawn of a new Arielle.