Dare to be Different

You know how people could be outsiders to a group,organization or even a country ? Well it wasn't so with Nevaeh. She was an outsider in her own old fashioned home. Her family go back a long way of producing elegant lawyers in the making. From generations to generations,her relatives were lawyers,so was her father,her mother,her older brother Liam who was studying law in college. Her twin younger sister Heaven was an aspiring lawyer and even her kid sister Kate went on all day about becoming a lawyer but ever since Neveah was a kid she had strong artistic taste and a pungent passion for fine art,drawing precisely, but of course,she dared not be the black sheep and pursued her aspiration to becoming a lawyer. She didn't get anything less than an 'A' in her test or examinations just to please her family. Heaven stared at her recent work,in utmost admiration. It was a drawing of her family,sitting in a garden with heart warming smiles. With a proud smirk on her face,she scribbled her name at the edge and thought her family needed to see it. She got to the sitting room and showed it to her siblings "Looks like the scribbling of a two-year" Kate chuckled. "I saw this type of drawing in my sleep" Heaven said "It was a nightmare" and they all laughed. Neveah glanced at her mother who was approaching her,her eyes watering. "Honey,college should be your priority now,not silly drawings that won't get you anywhere,okay" ? Nevaeh nodded and trodded up the stairs and headed to her room,she tossed the sheet on her dresser table and plopped on her bed repeating her mother's words in her head. "Put your head in the game Nevaeh" she muttered to herself. Suddenly,she heard a knock on the door. "Who is it" ? "Its Craig" Craig was their next door neighbor and also the new kid in school. They had been bonding lately and he had promised to come over. "Come in" she said sitting up. The door creaked open and he entered. "Hi" he smiled. "Hi" she replied. "Are you okay"? She nodded. He strolled casually to her dresser table,staring back at his reflection and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm going to Jason's party soon,just dropped by to see If you changed your mind" ? "No,you came by because you promised to. Now quit trying to compel me to go. I hate parties and you know that,besides History test is only two days away and I'm not settling for anything less than 'A' " He sighed In frustration. "You're the only person I really ever talk to. It would make all the difference if you came" Craig said and his eyes strayed to the table. "Wow"! He exclaimed "You drew this"? He asked picking up a sheet of paper. Nevaeh quickly stood and grabbed it from him. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "No i didn't" Nevaeh said too quickly. "Nevaeh,It says right there at the edge of the paper you did. It's amazing,I've never seen anything like it. You mean you could draw like that all these while and you didn't tell me. It's amazing" "You think so" ? She asked as her face lit up. "Are you kidding.....wait" He rolled his eyes " Are you just trying to be modest because I'm certain I'm not the only person to compliment this" She sat on her bed. "The only people I ever show it to is my family and they don't approve of it so..." "You're kidding,right"? "I wish I were. For instance my kid sister thought it looked like the scribbling of a two-year old whereas my twin called It a nightmare" "And your mother" ? "She thought it a silly hobby that won't get me anywhere" "But i don't get it. How do they not see what I see. It's beautiful" "You see the thing is,three generations before mine,have been lawyers in the making. So they've made it a tradition to keep their legacy It's either law or nothing. If at all you've noticed the portraits of my ancestors in law dress code hanging on the wall in the hallway " "And so. What,its a crime to have a hobby,now. Who says you can't combine. Haven't they seen or heard of lawyers who are authors or bakers or.... you get the point,don't you?" Craig asked. Nevaeh shrugged. "Well,you want to know what i think. I think you're the next monet" Nevaeh couldn't help the chuckle that escaped from her lips . "I'm sorry,am i missing out on the humor" "I see what you did there,its cute but actually Monet is a painter. I think you mean " "Oh" Craig scratched the back of his head "my bad" "Yeah but...thank you anyway" "So,I'm guessing you want to study Law in college.I mean judging from your story,that's what your parents want you to study"? "Yeah" "How about what you want you to study"? "Law,it's Law. I-I want to study Law. I mean it's what I've worked my ass for all my life. That's what I want me to study" "Yeah,go on. Say It till you believe it" Nevaeh stood up. "You don't get it. It's tradition. I'm going to be a Lawyer just like the rest of my family. It runs in our blood,It runs in my blood" "Just keep saying it sister. If it truly runs in your blood what happened to the generations before the first generation of lawyers" "I don't know and honestly i don't even care" "Yes you do and if you apply for law,I want to tell you you're making a very big mistake because sorry to say but you're mother lied to you. You can go places,some artists have. I mean drawing and painting are almost the same and who doesn't know,what did you call him again,Monet" "Are you suggesting I be the black sheep. Are you suggesting I be different"? "You say different like it's a bad thing. What's wrong with being different. What if your destiny lies in being an artist. You don't have to be like them,fate can take you anywhere. This is good different and you know what I dare you to be different" "Stop,okay. You're just messing with my head. I'm going to be a lawyer just like the rest of my generation. You should leave now or you'd be late for the party" "By the way, what sort of lame tradition is that. They're keeping you in prison in the guise of tradition. You better take this key and break out" "It's easy for you to say. My family would disown me if i chose otherwise" "Oh my God,Nevaeh for once can you stop thinking about your selfish and greedy family and think about yourself and your future for once. You're thinking about the family you drew and they laughed and said all sort of unkind words to you. Sorry to say but that's not what family is about. Family will have your back no matter what career you choose just as long as It makes you happy. If they couldn't see beyond your hobby and appreciate that you drew them out of love,they don't deserve your cooperation" "But I won't fit in anymore and all I ever wanted was to fit in cause deep down i knew i was different,my twin kept telling me indirectly and i was hurt" "You don't fit in,big deal. Who says you have to. You want to study Law right,good so open the constitution and show or tell me where it says you have to fit In. Just because you don't fit in in your family doesn't mean you won't fit in elsewhere. In the end it's all about you" "You'll be late for the party" She said and opened the door for him to leave. "i wouldn't want to tell you 'I told you so' later in the future" Craig said and left. "You're going to be a Lawyer just like the rest of your family,Nevaeh. That guy is just messing with your head. He doesn't know how hard you've had work for it. I mean what's the worst that can happen" * Neveah submitted some books. "Mom,I'm done reading them just like you asked me to" "What series is that" Mrs Bills asked "Secret to becoming a good lawyer " "Good. That was fast. Hope you learned somethings new"? Nevaeh nodded. * In school a girl walked up to her. "Uhm. The school probably didn't know but i have trouble keeping secrets so,don't tell them I'm the one who told you but Craig has been going around,spreading rumors of how great an artist you make. He said,he saw a drawing of yours and it was perfect and he's gathering our classmates to your house to see more of your drawings so that they can tell you how beautiful they are" "What"! * It seemed almost impossible to get Craig alone throughout school period. She finally got ahold of him and asked him to abate. It wasn't easy convincing him,but she was training to be a Lawyer so she managed to pull it off. Neveah stared back at her reflection through the mirror. "Who am i supposed to be . What have I become . Oh,how I wish someone can help me convince my parents we don't all have to be lawyers. Suddenly a bright light shine from the mirror causing her to take a step back in fright as she squinted at the light,her feet trembling,suddenly a tiny human-like creature with wings climbed some steps and came out of the mirror. "Finally, you summoned me" the creature said. "No i didn't. What are you and how'd you get in my mirror"? "Is this a joke,you summoned me and all of a sudden you don't know what i am" "First of all,I did not summon you" "Yes you did. You said 'Oh,i wish someone can help me blah blah, didn't get the last part. I was way too excited to. In other words. I'm a fairy named Oh and I grant people wishes so what did you say your wish was again"! "You're a fairy"? Neveah asked and fainted. * Nevaeh's eyes stuttered open and she screamed at the sight the creature. "Shh. You don't want people finding out about your personal fairy" "Fairies. I thought those didn't exist" "I thought you didn't exist. Why on air would you take eighteen years to summon me . I almost died of boredom in there" Oh said "How was I to know I had a personal fairy when nobody ever told me. Nevaeh,what are you doing. This isn't real" "Oh,yes it is and you still haven't told me your wish" "I feel like Cinderella right now. Okay,If i told you my wish,what would you do about it"? "Uh,feed on them. Duhhh. I'd grant it to you however,terms and conditions may apply. I can't and will not do all the dirty work so are you telling me your wish or not"! "Oh,uh,okay. I wish my family would cancel the tradition of.........you know what, I wish I would have more passion for law than drawing" "Are you sure, think this through. You have to be careful what you wish for. I know how much you love drawing" "And you know this how"? "I watch you every single day from the see through mirror" "Even when I'm......." "Unfortunately yeah" "Whaaat,there's this thing, it's called privacy" "Yeah yeah. So,are you sure you want to go through with this" "Are you supposed to be my counselor or fairy. Which"? "I'm just trying to help you not make a mistake" "You asked for a wish. There,you have it. Are you doing it or what. I can't destroy a beautiful four generation legacy because of me. That would be selfish" "No,what you're worried about is not fitting in. You're scared to be different. Why don't you dare to be different instead. They can still be lawyers if they want. You can't undo a wish easily. Your wish can be undone exactly a year after it's granted and by then you'd be off to college to study Law. You'd just be wasting time" "I wish,Oh,to have more passion for Law than drawing. That's final" "Okay,don't say I didn't warn you" Oh said and waved her wand in the air after a brief enchantment and there was a spark and that was It. "I don't understand,what was i thinking. Who could possibly love drawing more than law. Hold on a mimute. Is that the spell working"? Nevaeh asked but the fairy was nowhere in sight. * Few months later it was time for applying into college. Nevaeh took out her laptop and placed it on her dresser table. She was about to take out some files from get drawer when some sheet of paper fell out. She picked then up and studied it. It was her drawings. The drawing of her family,her life in general. It told her story. It held memories that triggered tears. It was almost like a diary and everything came flooding to her at once. She had cared so much about fitting in in her own family that she went ahead to make a dire decision of making a wish against her passion. It was her family,she didn't have to try so hard to fit in. If they couldn't accept her for who she was and what made her happy. That was their business but she was going to put her happiness, her happily ever after first. She quickly rushed to her mirror. "Oh. I need your help. I want to make a wish" Again the bright light and the fairy appeared. "Wow,I've never seen anything like this before. Your passion out weighed my spell" "I want to be myself again. I don't want this. It's not the real me. I enjoyed it while it lasted. Now i want me back" "You seem to be forgetting the term and condition. You cannot undo a spell until after a year it was casted" "No" "Yeeeeah. I don't want to be the fairy that says 'I told you so' but I kinda told you so" Oh said "You may be aware of what your doing now but you won't be able to help it" "Okay then. Oh,i wish I wouldn't gain admission into college . I will apply but I shouldn't gain admission and I wish my family didn't care so much about what we study as long as it's what we want" "Alright. Normally you can't make another wish until after three months but its already been three months since you made your last wish so..." Oh said,made an enchantment,waved her wand and poof Nevaeh's wish was granted. * Nevaeh didn't gain admission and after a year she applied for art school and her family accepted her decision encouraged her. * "Craig,you were rigt. I was trying so hard to fit in i lost track of who i was but I'm back now and I couldn't have wished for a more happily ever after. Thank you. I would make sure i become the world famous artist and make you proud. I promise" "Congratulations. I asked believed in you"