It all started with my mom. She was 17 when I was born. She has this beautiful brunette straight hair with hazel eyes and a heart of gold. We weren't the wealthiest in the world but we made do. My dad moved away before he even knew she was pregnant, and we never knew where he was or what he was doing. We struggled as she took care of me. Her parents kicked her out once they found out. My mother started working at Sun Street corner. Which was this store full of famous books and paintings you could buy. There was even a spot in the store where you could buy famous foods from all around the world. She worked every day and night to pay off the bills for our apartment and food. She never made it to college due to my life coming. I always felt like the problem in her life where I was making life unfair for her. When I reached 2 she started bringing me to work with her since I got myself kicked out of daycare apparently. I was only 2 and apparently I threw a plastic Lego into a kids eye. Her best friend Sydney was the daughter of the owner of the store and when my mom worked Sydney took care of me until I was old enough to go to school. And because of that we had lots of help with taking care of me and my growing up. When I was 4 my mom spent less hours working and more taking care of me. She even bought me a TV even though it didn't work very well. I remember whenever there was a better connection on it my favorite show was Spin the Wheel. It was this show of a person in need of money came and the host would let them spin a wheel and they would end up getting an awesome prize. I would always beg my mom to let her sign up for being the person but she would say something like "This show is a joke and there's no way we'd ever make time" "but you never know, maybe we'd get a vacation to Disney world!" would always be my response. I had always wanted to go to Disney world but I knew it would never work out for a family as unfortunate as us.

When I reached 10 years old there was a knock on the door. Turned out it was my grandparents. I was so confused my mother had always told me they were dead or something on the lines of that. These people did not seem like strangers to. I called my mom down. "MOM!" I'd yell "Coming!" She yelled as she rushed to the front of our small apartment. As soon as she was about three feet away from the door her face went completely blank. I thought she was about to pass out it was terrifying. "Uhm mom are you ok? And who are these people" I asked. "Their your grandparents don't let them in" she replied. "Wait but that's impossible you told me they were dead..." "No sweetie there's a few things I will need to tell you" she said. Then she walked to the door and went outside and closed the door. As the curious 10 year old I am I put my ear up to the door and tried to listen to the conversation. It was mostly muffled though I still tried to listen to the conversation. "Mfmmfm.... What are you doing here.... Mfmmfmfmm... We want to help... Mfhmfmm..." And then I heard it. It was as clear as glass. "We got a letter from Nik". I believe Nik was my dad's name. But I was so sure he had forgotten all about me and everything. How could he even remember the address to my grandparents house. Then I heard my mom yell, I've never heard her yell. "Stop making up lies and go home. Never come back". The door then burst open and my mom had a letter in herand. She then slammed the door, went to the trash and ripped up the letter into shreds before it was even opened. "Wait! Don't rip it!" I screeched but it was too late. She then told me to go to my room and work on my homework from school. I knew I would come back down and grab all the shreds of the letter once my mom went to work. She usually leaves around 5:30 for work and it was 4:49 right now. I scurried to my room only to wonder what could possibly be in that letter. Maybe my dad found a new wife and child. Who knows maybe the letter would break my heart.

When it reached 5:30 I ran down the stairs since my mom called me down to tell me the plans for while she was gone. I needed to clean the living room and the tornado of my room. I gave her a big hug and told her I loved her. She then walked out the door and I ran to the trash. Only to realize the letter wasn't there anymore. I looked everywhere incase she had saved it and hid it so I wouldn't find it. That's when I found it had been flushed down the sink. Well all of it about two pieces. They consistented the words "I am-" and "I love you still". I didn't understand what this could've meant but it must've been a pretty important letter if it had actually managed to get to us. The rest of the day I wondered if my dad knew if I existed and if he was waiting to meet me someday.

A week later my grandparents came to the apartment again while my mom was gone. They didn't say much but they gave me a page from a notebook with cursive handwriting written on it. Maybe it was another letter from my dad. My grandparents were still next to the door when my mom came home from work. When she saw my grandparents she totally freaked out and gave them a whole lecture about how they need to go away. She then threatened to call the police and get them involved. When my grandparents left and it was just me and my mom I tried convincing her to let them talk to her. "Honey you don't understand they abandoned us, they wouldn't come back for no reason but to make our life a living hell" she told me. I didn't believe her. I gave her an annoyed look and ran to my room. Yes, I loved my mom but she didn't believe in second chances. She gives me a ton of responsibility and respect but why won't she give her own parents some? It really wasn't that hard in my young mind. I soon started reading the letter.

"Dear Lilly, life seems too short for us not to try to know you. Recently we've tried reaching out to your father and he finally responded. He's living in Springfield, Missouri and he wants you to visit. I will keep trying to talk to your mother no matter how hard it gets. She needs to let him show some support and love for your life as well. I hope you understand what has happened between us and that we've changed. Love, your grandparents". In this moment I needed to see my dad. I then ripped out a piece of paper from my Math notebook and began writing back.

"Dear grandparents, I can't believe you guys actually care about me. My mom told me you guys were dead. Tell me more about my father I want to know everything about him and how to reach him. Does he have any kids? Does he have a new wife? Does he own a house? Any pets? I really want to meet him! Love, your only granddaughter". The writing between me and my grandparents hadn't stopped. They only checked in me once a month tho. I looked forward to it and gave them my mom's work schedule so they wouldn't run into her. One day when I was 13 they came with three letters. One from my father to me, one to my mother from my grandparents, and lastly the one for me from my grandparents. I asked about how'd she manage to get one from my dad. Turns out they sent my first letter I made for them to my dad. I then thanked them and went straight up to my room to read the letters for me. The letter for my mother I put on our kitchen counter. "Dear Lilly, oh my sweet Lilly. I believe you must be me and Stella's daughter." (Stella is my mom's name) "I know we haven't met yet but we will soon. I'm coming up to Minneapolis soon. To answer your questions I am not married and haven't loved anyone since your mother, I have a foster daughter named Mazi, which we adopted a cat, I own a business and live in mansion. I hope that someday you could come and live with us. Love your father, Nik". I couldn't believe my eyes. My own father written to me, his daughter. He lives in a mansion too! And has a daughter! The thing that really caught me though was that fact he was coming to Minneapolis soon.

The next day I woke up and got ready for school. I forgot to read my grandparents note so I put it in my backpack to read at school. When I went to eat my breakfast my mom walked straight up to me. "Did your grandparents come here again?" she asked "Yes mother, they gave me a note to give you and me as well. I can't believe I'm finally going to meet my dad! Hes-" but before I could finish she started yelling "Do you know how much trouble your in for communicating with them? All their telling you is a bunch of lies that aren't true. As sad as it is your father left before you were born. And he doesn't even know your alive. Even if he did come to Minneapolis he probably won't even be able to find us". Then it hit me. I could feel my heartbeat getting loud. I started getting dizzy and couldn't find my breath. My whole life must be a joke or some sort of lifeless dream. "Sweetie are you ok?" It sounded like a whisper but I still heard it. So I tried to respond "I-I thought dad really does love me". And then everything went black. Except my heartbeat. It started to slow down slowly.

It felt like forever before I woke up but really it was only a minute. My mom was crying and she continuesly asked if I was ok. I was fine and when she realized I was fine she just continued on with her day. I quickly grabbed my things and ran to the bus stop so I wouldn't miss the bus. When I got to school it felt like my life was flipped upside down. I made sure to bring my letter with me to each class until it got to 6th period. It was close to the end of the day but I read my letter in each period at school. But this time this girl named Allie snatched my letter and started reading it. "Hey give that back it's mine!" I screeched "Hahaha this is so lovey dovey your asking for it. You probably made this whole letter up just to get attention." Soon the teacher came in and saw what was happening. But then Allie started reading the letter out loud. I couldn't believe this was happening. Tears started streaming down my face as I struggled to snatch it from her. This was my own personal letter how could someone make it a joke. Then I got to furious I punched her across the face. "Oh you wanna play like that now?" She then punched my nose and it started running down with blood. The teacher then started running over calling for some help with what was happening. The fighting eventually stopped and we got sent to the principals office. It looked like I didn't do a thing to Allie and it looked like she kicked my butt. When we entered the office she put on this sweet little innocent smile and told him a bunch of lies. When I got into the principals I told him the truth. He then looked through the cameras and since I told the truth I didn't get any consequences though Allie got three days of OSS (out of school suspension). The whole fight was super hurtful and stupid. We then each got lectures the rest of the day about how we should have been civil together and how disrespectful our moves were. I didn't regret anything I have done.

When I got home from school the key to the apartment wasnt working, (sometimes it does this since it's a super old apartment door) so I walked to Sun Street corner. When I got there my mom gave me an angry look. "Punching a someone across the face really?" She said. "You don't even know the full story!" I said. "Well that doesn't matter missy your grounded. Especially since you were communicating with your grandparents" she said "Wait your parents are contacting you?" Sydney started "Look Syd it's none of your business so please don't try to get involved their just trying to make our lives a living hell." God I hated that my mom used the same terms over and over again. She over uses them. My mom gave me the good key to the apartment and then I left. When I got to the apartment I opened the door and ran to my room to do my homework. When my mom came home she came home with a guy. I'm not kidding a guy. "Sweetie this is Mr. Ferry I have been going on dates with him for awhile and I want you to meet him" my mom hadn't told me she was dating again. When I heard this news I slowly introduced myself trying to get this news through my head. So when we started introducing each other I instantly liked him. He made my mom super happy and he was such a gentleman. A year later they announced their marriage. Which means my mom would get in contact with my grandparents again. The day after the announcement my mom brought me and Mr. Ferry to my grandparents to get started. My grandparents didn't understand what was happening and nor did I. I liked Mr. Ferry but my grandparents did not. They didn't like the thought of the wedding but they knew they'd have to go along with it if they wanted to get involved again. So they agreed to it. Me and my mother were going to move in with Mr. Ferry soon or, our plans were too.

Three weeks before the wedding we got a knock at the door. I was 15 years old. My mom ran to the door and I didn't bother to come since I had already assumed it was Mr. Ferry, but I didn't know this was the knock that would change my life. I then heard my mother gasp. That's when it started getting really weird. When I walked to the door there was a man, a girl, and a cat. When he saw me he started crying. He walked in and hugged me so tight. I was super confused until it hit me. The letter two years ago from my father. He said he'd visit me. This couldn't be happening... Not now. Not when my mom's about to get married to another man. I can't believe it was my father. Then tears started streaming down my own face. Rivers of hope, beauty, and love. My father was hugging me and I couldn't believe it. He had the same eyes and freckles as me. Green with blue surrounding eyes with light brown freckles. He started saying something but I was too lost in the moment to realize. Then I really woke up since my mom then pushed us apart. She looked up and down and said "Nik what the hell are you doing here. It's been 16 years" "I heard we had a daughter, Lilly. I can't just ignore that. I wanna be apart of her life." He started "It's not our daughter its my daughter. I'm the one who taught her how to grow up. You can't just magically be part of someones life especially now" my mom said. He then said "I will become part of her life. I want to get married to you. And I want Lilly to live the life she never got to life". That's when I came in "Moms getting married to Mr. Ferry. But I need to have you as my father. No one else." He then looked at mom but not as the "I am in love way" it kinda scared me. "Lilly your coming with me and we're going to go to your grandparents" he said. "Ok!" I said. I was super excited for this adventure. Though I was super mad at my mother for not talking to Grandma and Grandpa. She told me they were lying and making my life a living hell. I just decided to go with Dad.