For Good - CONTEST WINNER!

The word “Congratulations” was glowed in bold letters across my phone screen. The room around me stayed the same. My friends were sprawled on the floor, half-laughing, half-arguing about nothing, but the familiarity I’d been holding onto suddenly felt out of reach. I didn’t think I would get accepted. Leaving was never something I seriously allowed myself to imagine. I scanned their faces, memorizing the way they leaned into each other. The rhythm of a room that already knew itself. Pride settled in my chest, followed closely by something heavier. I wished the word didn’t mean goodbye.

Naya Torrecampo is a high school student who enjoys playing piano covers in her spare time. When she's not reading stories, she's writing her own.