She Came to Conquer
ast few weeks of school on autopilot, avoiding Stephanie and Daniel at ever
ad lit a fire inside me, one that burned hotter with e
e quiet, invisib
nyone take advan
ow I was going to chang
s swirled in my mind. School was over, and the next chapter of my life was wide open. I
se th
finding a way out o
that I wasn't going anywhere unless
" he said one evening at dinner, his tone stern. "The
her," I said, keep
say was that
rs and already living on her own. She worked as an usher at one of the largest branch
n I told her about my situation. "Your par
a," I said, relief
my parents down and
efully. "She's very involved in the church, and she said I
"Why can't you stay he
ng my words carefully. "I want to learn
, he nodded. "If Patricia is willing to take you in, I'll allow it. But
" I said, my
ne: co
wo was
eople did, not someone like me. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Modeling wasn't ju
e. The first few attempts were disastrous-I froze in front of the
braver, a little more co
, I felt like a different person. Standing in front of the camera, wearing clot
ed the lights. "You've got a natural grace
in my life, I bel
ring the day, I worked small jobs and built my portfolio. In the evenings, I volunteere
ssing day, I felt myself changing-growing stronge
back at me. Gone were the baggy clothes and nervous glances. In their place was s
eel small and insignificant. I thought about Father's sermons, about
en I s
t yet, but I was j