Its always the same dream. I’m in the city where I belong. Manhattan is mine, but then always wake up. Same old Alexis Dawson in New Jersey City. They say the key to being a writer is to figure out who you are, and to find your voice. It appears to be the only thing I found that day.

Most people say they are better off now than they were eight years ago. Except us eight years ago we had our mom, and just four months ago we lost her to overuse of drugs. Things were definitely different. I hated how she treated me and Taylor. My foster sister. We don’t really get along, but I still love and care for her. But I hated how my mom treated her like she didn’t belong in our family. She joined my family twelve years ago when she was only three. I thought it was the biggest mistake of her life. My father wanted a second child, but my mother refused because she started her cocaine addiction nobody knew about. Well I knew. All those late nights running for errands at twelve o'clock in the night. Endless amount of phone calls she received when she didn’t pay her money to that drug dealer. I still remember his name Blues. I always wondered what kind of name Blues was. I now have a better name for him, the man who killed my mother.

It was the first day of senior year. As far as it goes I am going to be the same this year. And so is my friend Zoey. ''Don’t forget Alexis we have to get boyfriends this year.'' she said. I couldn’t believe we didn’t get boyfriends last year. Anyways I off to chemistry Zoey.

On my way to chemistry class, I see my father with his suit all suited up walking down my school hallway. I am supposed to be embarrassed but instead I’m scared. The last time my father came to my school he told me my mother had died. I wasn’t ready for another tragedy. As soon as I know it my whole body starts to shiver, my legs are weak and eventually I hit the floor. All I can remember was my father, the students and the teachers hovering over me, picking me up and taking me to the nurse office.
''Honey, what went wrong, you scared me.''
'' Dad, the last time you came to my school you told me mother died. I thought it was something about Taylor.''
''Oh no Alexis. I actually came to tell you.''
'' What is it dad''
'' Okay I know I’ve been working a lot and you need something to keep you busy. I have got you an exclusive internship at Teen Vogue. In Manhattan.
'' Oh my god dad, you’re the best.''
'' A-A-A, your first day beings today. But you still have to be home no later than curfew. And no talking to strangers on the train.''
'' Thank you, thank you. Bye dad I have to get ready for my first day.''

As I walk down the hallway I fainted on couple of hours ago. I see Zoey’s class. As much as I don’t want to be that rich girl who brags a lot. I didn’t care I had to. Well she is my best friend.
''Zoey, my dad got me an internship at Teen Vogue, in Manhattan.''
'' When do you start''
''Today, I have to go home and get ready.''
'' But Alexis did you forget today’s Jarred party.'' It took us are whole high school life to get invited to one of these party’s.
'' I promise I am going to be there.''

As the school bell rings. I put my books rapidly in my bag. I rush home to get ready. I never thought I would be this happy especially after my mother had died. I put on my black skirt with my white collar shirt that I spent my allowance on. I had my mother purse she gave me before she died, this purse just made the whole outfit.


I stand above this tall building in Manhattan. I would never believe I would be here. As I walked into the lobby, my eyes glued to the ceiling. I trip over the rug and land face down to the floor. I thought it was going to be one of those love story were your dream man picks you up, but it wasn’t.

It was nine thirty in the night my first day of work was done. I had a wonderful time everyone was extremely nice and I surprisingly got along with a lot of people. I’m supposed to be on the train on my way back home instead I decided to go out with some of my coworkers, as we enter this club which I am not supposed to be in because I am underage. I see this tall, lanky, blue eyes, brown hair guy. His hair was perfect it almost looked he was part of a movie, his hair blowing in the air but we weren’t even outside.
'' Hi, I am David.''
''I am Alexis, Alexis Dawson.'' I didn’t know what to think. I was just staring in his astonishing eyes and steamy lips.
''Would you like to dance,''
''Sure''

I was enjoying myself as I look at the clock and realized it was eleven forty. It was passed my curfew and I was going to miss the last bus to New Jersey at twelve o'clock. I don’t even know what had happened I lost track of time, my Dad’s going to kill me. As I say bye to David and my coworkers. I run out of club changing my clothes as I run to the station. I never knew I could multi task like this. There were one min left till the last bus left I jumped into the train. It was empty and cold. There was only one person in there. He was black muscular , had his hat on backwards as he stared at me and I stared back I recognized this person but I didn’t know where I noticed him from I kept getting these flashbacks but I didn’t see anything but mom started popping up in my head. I didn’t know why.
But as I stared closely and intimately. My stop was here. I was back in New Jersey. As get off the train I finally recognize the strange man and realize it was the man who killed my mother.

I had to rush home and the only way was for me to get home quick was to take the creek way. As I jump over the water and the cracks I see this man coming towards me. He looked suspicious I turn the other way to go home I walk so fast back down the creek. The only time I walked this fast in my life was in gym class. Either way I hit the corner the man had disappeared. I never sigh so hard before. I was walking down the train tracks where it was very dark and couldn’t see nothing. I looked back I didn’t see nothing. I looked back again there was hand covering my mouth. As I scream and shout, I was being dragged away. He put this chemical cloth on my mouth and the next thing I know Im fast asleep. That was all I could remember.



As I wake up I see this light shining on me . I look to my left out the window I see that it is daylight. I see this man putting a pillow over the windows. As I open my eyes more widely I realize I am in this basement where it looks like it’s a dentist office. I tried to kicking the person but they duck taped me even more to the seat. I see him holding a screwdriver.

'' Should we make her sleep.''? I shook my head but they still ignored me and started laughing.
''No, I want her to notice me. So do you know who I Am.?''
'' No.''
'' I once told your mother if she never returned all the money she took for me that I will take one of her daughters and kill them. So I guess it’s you.''

As I look deeply into his eyes. I’m in utter shock. It was Blues the same man I seen on the train yesterday and the man who killed my mother with all those drugs he gave her. I swallowed deep to clear my throat. I closed my eyes. I felt like I was being carried but I wasn’t.
'' I don’t think you will see daylight in your life again.''


I was being shakedown. I heard this familiar voice, one of my eyes flicked open. My arms and feet felt like it was tied together. I felt weak. I felt like I was about to take my last breath. As I was being shakedown even more my other eye flicked open. I see Zoey. '' Are you having a bad dream? Where going to be late for Jarred’s party.'' It’s was one of those dreams. I always have. . Its one of the symptoms of bipolar disorder, which I was diagnosed two months after my mother had died.