You're One to Remember by Chanda Dobra (story reading txt) 📕

Her ears rang and she struggled to even her breathing. She snapped out of it as her father let her go and helped her to her feet. Smiling and spoke tiredly, “Thanks dad.” She turned, rolling on her heels, and walked out of the room.
The next day Myra opened her eyes. Sitting up she smiled and stretched. As she stood she realized something, I didn’t have a nightmare… Smiling even wider now, she slipped her clothes on and walked out of her room. As usual, she heard the doorbell ring. Climbing down the stairs, she opened the door and smiled, “Hey Maria!” Maria smiled; she was an older woman, but just as smart and witty as any young girl. She spoke joyfully, “Hey Myra! Can I come in? Its soaking wet out here! For some reason the damn Weather man lied and said it would be sunny for once in a blue moon! Well, look at me now!” Myra looked at Maria fully now, and noticed she was dripping with water. “Oh you can’t come in like that! Hang on.” Myra dashes away, within moments she returned to her tutor, “Here you go Mrs. Johnson.” She helped her wrap the large towel around her shoulders; she guided her through the door and up to the second floor. They both sat down beside a fire in one of the studies, “Alright… today we are going to focus on your math skills for the next hour. Then we will move on the science, then history! Last of all, since you’re already so good at it, we will work on your English. Sound good?” Blinking, Myra looked at Maria, “Oh yea, sounds great.”
She studied as hard as she could the entire day; she had never worked so hard on her skills. For some reason having her father around set her in determination mode. She knew she was trying to impress him, to feel his acceptance. Smiling, she passed all the little tests they did at the end of the day, and summarizing everything they had worked on. After they finished Myra led her tutor to the door, and opened it. “Bye Mrs. Johnson, thank you again.” Closing the door, she sighed and leaned against it. She was exhausted, so tired that she could hardly climb up the stairs. It seemed so hard, like climbing a mountain. She got to the third floor as quick as she could, walking tiredly into her room. She flung the door closed and threw herself on her bed. Her face basically stuck in a pillow, she grunted as someone opened the door. Right now is the worst time for someone to visit me, Myra thought. Opening one eye, she saw her father, “Work hard today Myra?” Smiling she forced herself to sit up, “Yeah actually, I got a lot done. I passed all my tests and stuff for today.” “And now you’re tired?” Myra nodded to her father’s words, “Well that’s not happening, come on let’s get you some ice cream or something.” “Really?” Myra smiled. “Of course,” He smiled and gave her a big side hug, “anything for my little girl.”
Chapter 4

For the next week she studied as hard as she could on her school work. The better she did, the more time she could spend with her father. Every day they would go somewhere special, whether it was the movies or a diner. Now she looked into her father’s eyes, Ryan was reading a book beside the firelight in the study. She sighed lightly and stood, “I’m going to bed, Maria doesn’t come on the weekends so maybe Me, You, and John can go somewhere or something.” Ryan looked up at her, his skin glowing against the dim fire, “I don’t think I can, I have to go to go to an interview.” Myra smiled, “An interview, you’re getting a job?” Her father nodded, “Yup, I told you I wanted to support our family, that’s what I am going to do.” Myra smiled even wider, “Thanks, I am sure I can find something to do tomorrow.” Kissing his cheek, she turned on her heels and walked out of the room. She skipped up the stairs, happiness giving her energy. By the time she reached the third floor, she was panting. She walked quietly through the hallway leading to her room. She glanced out the windows she passed; the midnight sky was pitch black, the stars gleaming in the sky like eyes glaring back at her. Her heart went cold for a moment, for some reason she felt as if something was off, like something bad was going to happen very soon. Shaking her head as if flinging the thoughts out of her mind, she closed her door as she walked into her room. She walked toward her bed, her feet warm on the furry rug in the middle of her room. She looked at the walls, plastered with posters of past bands she loved, movies she saw, her favorite actors. She smiled when her eyes met her memory sheet. Walking forward she placed one hand over a picture, it was of her and Cooper, they had been so happy. She smiled, his hair was the same color as hers, the dark brown. Their eyes were the same, well everyone who lives, or used to live, in Arizona has golden eyes. Its a genetic code over there, she missed it. The cloudy, skies and the damp air where she loved now couldn’t match up to the suns constant shine, the warmth you felt as you stepped out into the sunshine. Closing her eyes, she tried to imagine being back there, back home. Sometimes she regretted moving here, if she wouldn’t have killed those girls maybe her life would be better, and Ash wouldn’t be dead. Blinking away her tears, she turned around and jumped onto her bed, she was exhausted. Lifting her head, she turned on her Mp3 player and blasted the lullaby Ash had dedicated to her, and slowly she closed her eyes and sunk into her dreams.
Opening her eyes, the warm sun was filtering through the window above her bed, spreading across her face and blinding her. Putting her hand up, blocking the sun from her eyes, she sat up and stood, the cold of her room made her shiver. Within moments her teeth began to chatter. She walked forward, her bare feet pressing hard against the cold floor as she made her way forward. As she opened her door and quickly walked into the hall, she knocked into John. “Oh! Sorry John, do you know why it’s so cold in here?” John snorted, “Did you even try looking outside? It’s snowing smart one.” Gasping, she ran towards the nearest window and, struggling on her tippy toes, she peered out of the high window in the hallway. The white landscape was gorgeous, nothing like she had ever seen. This was her first snow, every hair on her body stood on end, half of the cold and half of excitement. Smiling like a dork, she ran into her room and slammed the door, within minutes she reopened the door and ran through the hallways and down the stairs, dressed in her thick winter clothes. Her black combat boots where good for the snow as she ran out of front door. Her pale skin got a little more pale from the cold, but she was smiling so widely it hurt. She was away from any town, away from people, just how she liked it. Her house was the only one for miles in every direction. She let out an excited screech, it was so early she was glad she didn’t have any neighbors; she would have woken them up. Rose and Jessie ran out next, mother following closely, all three of them dressed in thick clothes. She turned her head and smiled at them. Father walked out with John, but faces half happy half not caring much. Myra walked quietly, enjoying the cold as it bit her face, the light snowfall brushed her face gently, as if whipping away the cold bites of the weather. Smiling, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, the crisp, pine scent mixed with snow filled her senses, awakening another side of her. She walked surprisingly silently over the crunchy snow, as if stalking prey. Turning on her heels, she looked at her family and smiled. Bending down, she made a snowball and chucked it at Ryan, he laughed and made a snowball, then chucked it back at her, “No one messes with the snowball champion!” Myra laughed, “This one does!” The bent down and made one in both hands and threw it at him, one grazing his cheek the other smacking his left shoulder. Myra laughed as he yelled sharply with surprise. Falling into a snow pile, she laughed as hard as she could. Ryan yelled out at her in the distance, “What’s so funny?” Still laughing, she stood and yelled back, “your face was priceless!’ She widened her eyes and stuck her tongue out to the side, her mouth wide open; she was mocking the face he made. Suddenly snow filled her mouth and she began to cough, her entire mouth felt frozen. Her teeth and cheeks went cold, making her shiver. She began spitting out snow, growling, “Hey! That was a head shot!” She heard her mother laughing, “Yea? I think you should get a free open shot then.” Myra smiled cleverly, “You’ve precisely right mom!” She made the biggest snowball she could carry, and slowly made her way to her father. She was a footstep in front of him, and she looked into his gleaming eyes. She smiled, “Pay backs a bitch.” She slammed the gigantic snowball in his face, it had required two hand to carry. Hearing her father coughing and her entire family laughing, she smiled with triumph. “Alright, you can be the snowball champion.” “What if I don’t want to be the snowball champion?” She smiled at him as he finished whipping the snow off his face, “Well you defeated me, so now it’s your claim.” Laughing lightly, she patted his shoulder, “Keep the title dad.”
They relaxed out in the snow for the how next hour, then her father had to go to his interview. Myra watched as he drove his car out of the driveway and yelled, “Good luck dad! Don’t forget to smile! You’ll do great!” He stuck his hand out the window and waved as he drove off, the family waved back at him and yelled just as much encouraging words to him. She yawned and mom lead us all back inside with our favorite question ever, “Anyone want some hot cocoa?” All four kids turned their heads to their mother and spoke in unison, “Yes!” Jessie and Rose ran up the stairs into the house, me and John walking at a slower pace with mother. “Do you think he will get the job?” Myra couldn’t help but hear what they thought, “I think so.” John answered her. She looked at mom and she nodded agreement, “He’ll get it.” She closed the door behind them