AUGUST 23, 1994

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

     Short, brown hair fell over my face. I brushed it out of the way. My cereal had begun to get mushy and soft, so I just kept stirring her milk in circles, creating a cyclone.
Mother poked her out of the door, watching me for a brief moment before speaking.
"Maya? Are you ready?"
I looked up. "Yes."
My oboe was laying on my bed next to my backpack, ready to go. I glance over at Mother.
"Should I bring my oboe?"
"No."
Mother didn't support me joining a band class. She says that there wasn't a point, since I was bound to go blind. There was a chance that I would have to drop out of the class or fail. But I'm taking that chance.
I walked into my room, the atmosphere feeling grey. I heave my backpack onto my small shoulders and stare at my instrument case. It seemed to be calling me to bring it along.
I weigh the materials on my back. Could I fit an instrument in there?
I wiggle my shoulders a bit, barely feeling any pull. Without hesitating, I shove my oboe in the front pocket.
"Maya! I thought you said you were ready!"
"I am!" I say as I zip the pocket, "I'm coming!"
Mother sighed as I shut my door. Disregarding her, I thought to myself how I was going to show Maplecreek Middle who I was.
I'm coming.