Chapter 5 – Paloma
Dear Dallas – (if that's even your name?),
I’m going to keep writing to you and I’m expecting you to do the same because now I don’t have a choice.
My English teacher said that we have to find someone to write to and send them a letter once a week to practice. So, I need a pen pal for school.
And guess what, Dallas, that lucky person is you.
If you don’t write me back, I’m going to fail sophomore English, so you have that on your conscience.
Do you really want a 14-year-old from a tiny town in Texas to fail English all because you couldn't take a few minutes to write back to her letters?
Didn't think so.
That’s super cool about your app. I use Myspace and Facebook a lot but I’m guessing whatever app you created is something less cool and for old people.
What does the app do? Can you tell me that or are you too scared I might go write reviews about my best friend Dallas, the founder and CEO of the app?
;)
Hey, I don’t know why you keep acting like you’re so grown up. Nineteen years old isn’t that old. It’s not like you’re actually an adult or anything. You’re a teenager, just like me, who still lives with their parents, therefore I automatically consider us the same age.
Boom. Twins.
Until you have a real job (not just some cool app you built) and live on your own, then you’re not old.
Hey, you didn’t tell me anything about what it was like living in Los Angeles. Will you tell me what your favorite part of Los Angeles is?
What if I want to move there one day? I won’t know anything about it.
I NEED DETAILS, DALLAS. WHAT IS LOS ANGELES LIKE?
I think you sound super cocky and majorly conceited saying that everything in life comes easily to you.
I don’t believe for a second that everything is easy.
There has to be something that’s hard for you.
But maybe it's because nothing in life comes easily to me. I have to work really hard for my grades in school. I think I’m smart, but I just don’t care to pay attention.
I’d rather be doing other things like playing outside or singing.
The only thing that comes naturally to me is singing.
I love to sing.
I sing in the choir of my church and sometimes I get solos. Every time I've had a solo, all of the older people in the church come up to me afterwards and praise my voice so that means I must be doing something right.
I also sing in the shower. That's where I write new songs in my head and belt them out. Those songs aren’t gospel songs. My brother hates it when I do that because our house only has two showers and the one that we share is right next to his bedroom. He says he hates hearing my angsty, love songs.
My music teacher at school said I have a beautiful voice and that if I got lessons, I could train to be a professional singer.
I don’t know what to do with that information. I wonder if anyone has ever become a famous singer after coming from such a small town. Maybe a country singer? But I don’t want to sing country music. I like singing everything. Rock, Rap, R&B, Gospel, even Jazz.
I would love to sing Jazz, but I don’t think I have the vocals for it.
I wonder if I'd hate singing if I made it my career.
My dad often says that turning a hobby into a job can take the fun out of it. I don't want that to happen because I love singing, Dallas. I can't imagine suddenly hating it just because it feels like work. That would CRUSH me.
Did I mention how much I love singing?
I wonder if my mom sings too or only acts. What if she is an actress who sings in her movies? Maybe I’ve been watching the wrong movies looking for her and need to check out musicals instead.
(BTW, are you my mom? JUST KIDDING.)
PS: I turn 15 years old next week. Did you know that we are both Libras?
PSS: Did you know that Libras are well balanced and like harmony?
PSSS: Did you know that Libras can also be self-indulgent, vain, and spontaneous?
Are you any of those things Dallas? I learned this in the back of the October edition of Cosmo that my sister has. I don't think I'm vain or self-indulgent, but I'm definitely spontaneous.
Right now, I’m thinking about writing a new song in the shower about Libras.
Write back.
XoXo – Paloma