The Life I'm Glad I Don't Have
By Ranolene, age 16, South Africa
I felt alone as if no one loved me. Even my own best friends had left my party. The night was still young, but I was left miserable to celebrate with my parents and siblings. So I went to bed and cried myself to sleep.
As I opened my eyes the next morning a strange lady was in my view. I jumped out of bed and looked around. I was at my house, but everything was different, especially this lady in front of me with a vibrant smile on her face. I looked around my room to see if I could find an object to defend myself with, but before I could find anything she called me 'Miss Taylor Swift.'
"OMG," I thought to myself, "I'm the famous Taylor Swift??" I looked in the mirror and saw Taylor, but inside I was still me. How could this be? Then I remembered I'd made a wish before going to bed last night. I wished to be someone famous - that way everyone wouldn't forget my birthday and would always love me.
As the salted air rushed through the windows from the ocean I realized that one wish came through. I'm not me anymore, but Taylor Swift.
Everything in the house was different, but it was still home, except for the fact that my parents and siblings didn't exist. "Well, I guess that's a small price to pay for the great life ahead of me!!" I thought to myself.
The day was extremely long, and before I knew it I was missing my real family. I thought that the life of a superstar would be easy, but it was not. Everywhere I went screaming fans rushed up to me with pens and papers as if to stab me and get a sample of my blood, though all they wanted were autographs. By noon my hands were hurting and all I wanted to do was go home to my selfish, but loving friends.
I tried going to sleep early that day around 2:30 PM in hopes that I would awaken to the smell of Dad's pancakes. But it never happened. I was still Taylor. Days went by, and there I was with no loophole. I was annoyed and miserable. I would have given anything to be back home.
It was one of those horrible days signing autographs again when a vibrant girl came up to me. She didn't want anything from me, not even an autograph, but instead she wanted to give me something. A golden coin.
"It's a wishing coin," she said.
At first, I thought it was a myth. But then I realized who and what I'd become. So I took the coin and repaid her with a polite smile and a thank you.
That night went as every other night that week. I sat on my bed and cried. Then I remembered about the coin. I felt it was hopeless, but decided to give it a try.
I held the coin in my hand, closed my eyes, and said, "I want to be Ranolene again."
I kept my eyes closed for a few minutes, then I opened them and saw the poster of a rainbow and unicorn, causing me to realize I was still Taylor. "This coin is no magic," I thought, and threw it out my window. I was crying, but I finally went to sleep.
The smell was calling to me. And I was really hungry, so I awoke hoping that I would have a decent breakfast without more than 50g of sugar in it. I was still getting oriented, but I was smelling something very familiar. Not my Dad's pancakes, but my sister's toasted ham with honey. I was still absorbing the tasty smell when I fully recovered and realized that I was home and me again, not Taylor. I screamed and ran out of bed, down the stairs, and I hugged my mom.
"Honey, what's wrong?"
"I missed you guys," I replied.
"But sweety, you only went to bed."
At that moment, I realized that it was just a bad dream - in a half-good way!! I was glad to be awake and to be Ranolene again.
No matter how much or how little my family care about me, I wouldn't trade them for a life with fame and fortune!!
