Page 6 of Say You'll Stay

I thrust my phone into her hands, unable to contain my excitement. “Look! The animation studio, they want to interview me!”

Sonya’s face splits into a grin, her eyes shining with pride. “Cara, that’s amazing! I knew they’d see how talented you are.”

She pulls me into a hug, her laughter mixing with mine as we dance around the room. For a moment, everything else fades away - the pain, the heartbreak, the constant ache of missing June. In this moment, there’s only joy, pure and unbridled.

But even as I revel in this victory, a small part of me can’t help but wonder what June would think. Would he be proud of me? Would he see this as a sign that I’m moving on, leaving him behind?

His name is a sigh, a lament for what once was and what now seemed an impossible dream. “June…”

“Is an idiot, Cara. You deserve so much better…try to forget about him,” Sonya squeezes my hand, her voice fierce, protective. “Besides, you’re my sister, the biracial Picasso and a baddie; you can do way better than Juniper.”

I nod, clinging to her words, yet doubt still nags at my unsteady confidence. Had I been so easy to replace? Was our connection so superficial that it could be severed without a second thought?

I push the thoughts away, refusing to let them taint this moment. This is about me, about my dreams and my future. June made his choice, and now I’m making mine.

As the day of the interview arrives, I’m a bundle of nerves. I change my outfit three times, second-guessing every choice. Sonya finally intervenes, plucking a simple blue dress from my closet. “This one. It brings out your eyes.”

I take a deep breath, smoothing my hands over the soft fabric. “Okay. I can do this.”

Sonya grins, squeezing my shoulders. “Damn right you can. You’re Cara Briers, artist extraordinaire. You’ve got this.”

Her words echo in my mind as I make my way to the studio, my portfolio clutched tightly to my chest. The building looms before me, all sleek lines and gleaming glass. I take a moment to collect myself, inhaling deeply and letting the cool, crisp air fill my lungs.

The interview is a whirlwind of passionate discussions and probing questions. I speak from the heart, my love for my craft evident in every word. As we wrap up, one of the interviewers leans forward, a curious glint in her eye.

“I have to ask, Cara. How did you manage to get a recommendation from Elaine Deveaux? She’s notoriously hard to impress.”

My heart stutters in my chest, my mind reeling. Elaine Deveaux? June’s mother? Why would she recommend me?

I clear my throat, trying to gather my thoughts. “I… I honestly had no idea. I applied on my own merit. I didn’t even know she was aware of my work.”

The interviewer nods, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. “Well, consider yourself lucky. A recommendation from Elaine Deveaux is like a golden ticket in this industry. We’re thrilled to have you on board, Cara.”

As I leave the studio, my head is spinning. June’s mother, the woman who had always made it clear that I wasn’t good enough for her son, had recommended me. It doesn’t make sense.

But as I step out into the sunlight, a realization dawns on me. Maybe it doesn’t have to make sense. Maybe this is a sign that I’m on the right path, that I’m meant for something more than being June’s girl.

I think back to all the times June and I had talked about the future, about our hopes and dreams. He had always believed in me, even when I doubted myself.

“You’re going to change the world, Cara,” he’d say, his eyes shining with conviction. “I can’t wait to see it happen.”

The memory brings a bittersweet smile to my face. June may not be by my side anymore, but his belief in me, his support - it’s still a part of me. It’s woven into the fabric of who I am.

As I make my way back home, I feel a new sense of direction settling over me. I may have lost June, but I’ve found something else - faith in myself and my abilities.

I pull out my phone, my fingers flying over the screen as I type out a message to Sonya. “Guess who’s the newest member of the Dragonfly Animation team?”

Her response is immediate, a flurry of celebratory emojis and exclamation points. “YES! That’s my girl! We’re celebrating tonight, no excuses.”

I grin, a laugh bubbling up from deep inside me. “Wouldn’t dream of missing it. First round’s on you.”

As I slip my phone back into my pocket, I catch a glimpse of my reflection in a store window. The girl looking back at me is different from the one who woke up this morning. Her eyes are brighter, her smile more genuine. She’s a girl who knows her own worth, who’s ready to take on the world.

“Watch out, world,” I whisper, my grin widening. “Cara Briers is just getting started.”

And with that, I turn towards home, towards my future. Because I know now, with unshakable certainty, that I have the power to create my own masterpiece. One brushstroke at a time.

As I make my way back home, the weight of June’s absence settles over me like a heavy cloak. Every step I take feels like I’m dragging a piece of my heart behind me, a trail of shattered dreams and unspoken longings.

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