Lyla’s Creative Writing

Hello! My name is Lyla, for my 20% project, I chose to learn how to bake/replicate Disney movie desserts (I chose to replicate Brave’s iced rolls, Princes and the Frog’s beignets, and Wreck it Ralph’s “You’re My Hero” sugar cookies). This week my goal was to bake one of my desserts: Wreck it Ralph’s “You’re My Hero” sugar cookies. I accomplished this goal by planning out my ingredients, planning out my baking day, and planning on how I would go about the baking day (ex:what time, who helps, etc) a little bit last week, and all this week. Specifically, I looked up recipes for this dessert on Pinterest, YouTube, and Google to find the perfect/doable one, and I found a video on YouTube (created by Rosanna Pansino) that perfectly helped me achieve my goal. I watched it several times, wrote down the ingredients on my notes app, and went to the store (with my mom/mentor) to obtain these ingredients. Making the sugar cookie dough/cookies itself was definitely an easy accomplishment, but icing the cookies was another story. I definitely had a hard time with icing/icing the letters onto my cookies (and would consider it one of my biggest struggles so far), though I had my dad/mentor (I have two mentors) help me out by showing me an example on how he would ice the cookies (along with tips and tricks), which helped me get back onto the right track. I left off with completing one of the three recipes that I wanted to replicate, so by the end of this week or next week is when I’ll have all my plans for the next recipe done. Hopefully, I’ll be ready to bake the next recipe by the end of next week, or the following week. Thanks for reading, see you next week!!!

The truth is, I have no idea what dream job I want for my future. Although, I don’t have a specific one in mind I can still share some jobs that I would love to have. One job that I would love to have is to be an author. I’ve always loved writing stories since I was little, and the idea that I can create a fictional world just how I want it definitely would be a dream to work in. Moreover, the fact that I could write a story that completely came from my imagination, love writing it, and then possibly get paid for it is truly insane. The downside to working as an author would be that getting writer’s block is very common, and could often lead to stress of not being able to start/continue writing a book. Also being your own boss as an author can be very scary and stressful, though also fun because you can make you own hours. Another job that came to mind would to be a veterinarian. I love all animals so much, it would be a dream to help any one of them, and get to know/become friends with them. Along with having a worked in schedule which would be a very nice and organized thing for me day to day. Although, becoming a veterinarian requires years of schooling, which would cost a lot of money. My last job that I would love to be involved in is being a neonatal nurse (meaning you mainly work with new born babies). I adore babies so much, and would love to work with them. Being a nurse itself can be a difficult job though, you could endure sadness/trauma from it, and like being a veterinarian, this job requires years of schooling which means it will cost a lot of money.

This Spring Break was by far my favorite one that I’ve had in a while. I did so many fun things over the spring break that I am going to share! The first day (Saturday) my parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, my brother, and I all went over to my grandma’s house for my aunt and uncle’s birthday party (they are cousins that have their birthday only two days apart)! It was super fun, I even slept over there with my cousin. The next day, Sunday, my family and I visited my older cousin, his wife, and their two sons. Two more of my aunts, uncles, and cousins came over too. My older cousin and his family live in a really cool, modern apartment complex that was fun to explore. My younger cousins and I swam, had a work-out in the apartment’s gym, and played hide and seek. Before you know it, it’s Monday, and Monday was more of a relax day since we had had such a hectic weekend. Though on the fourth day (Tuesday) I met up with my two friends to see a movie at the AMC. We saw Shazam two, and it was a very fun experience. I love hanging out with them. Right after the movie I had to rush to my orthodontist appointment to get my braces tightened, and get my first set of rubber bands to fix my bite/jaw. Which was kind of nerve racking whilst also kind of fun since it was my first time getting both of those things. On the fifth day (Wednesday) my friend came over, and we hung out for hours playing basketball, eating ice cream, making Tik Toks, and so many more fun things. Next thing you know it’s Thursday, and my family and I had to wake up super early (4:00 a.m. to be exact) because we were heading to Lake Havasu, Arizona (a small town that many people like to visit because of it’s huge lake, scorching hot days, part of the real London Bridge that was donated to Lake Havasu, boating in the water, and everything else it has to offer). We were vacationing there with my aunt, uncle, three cousins, and one of my cousin’s two friends. The drive there was four and a half hours, which I didn’t mind since one: I had done this drive countless times before, and two: I always have loved the drive there better than the drives home for some reason. When we arrived at the house in Lake Havasu (my aunt and uncle’s house actually) we basically relaxed and unpacked for the first couple hours, but later we all went to dinner. The whole trip (Thursday through Sunday) was filled with boating, swimming, late night games, late night karaoke, relaxing on the beach, going to the movie theater, going out to dinner, shopping, exploring, going on long walks, and just having some fun family time in the best place: Lake Havasu. This Spring Break was amazing to say the least.

For the month of March I chose to read the mystery thriller, You Will Be Mine written by Natasha Preston. You Will Be Mine is a 304 page murder mystery type thriller book that takes place at a college university in England. Here we see our main character, Lylah, living with her five best friends (who are all also college students): Chace, Sonny, Isaac, Sienna, and Charlotte. It’s the month of Valentine’s Day, and instead of Valentine’s Day being remebered as a day of love for Lylah, on this day Lylah’s world flipped upside down. This happened when she experienced two major losses in her family two years prior on the special day. Although, Lylah gets distracted from the memories of this tragic month when anonymously creepy notes are sent to their house targeting Lylah’s friends one by one, and brutally murdering each target. Police are trying to just catch even a small break in the case that could possibly lead to the killer being found, but the killer just seems too good at hiding somehow. Could the killer possibly be someone that Lylah had rejected on Valentine’s Day the year prior, her over-protective brother, could it be someone who didn’t like one of them for whatever reason, or could it be a total stranger? Though with the evidence that the police do have, it seems that Lylah is the main reason for all of this. Meaning it is now up to Lylah to end this, will she be able to catch the killer before they kill everyone that she loves?!

I totally recommend this book because it’s a good ole’ fashion murder mystery that will keep you thrilled and on your toes. The characters are relatable and likable, the book forces you to use your imagination on how the ending may turn out to be/who the killer is, the chapters are pretty short, there is newley formed relationships, crushes, betrayal, friendship, survival, mystery, murder, and just basically the most thrilling murder mystery book you have ever read. With so many plot twists, misdirects, cliffhangers, a huge plot twist at the end that will leave you speechless, and (as the author usually likes to do) the book ends on a massive cliffhanger.

My favorite character is Lylah because she is strong, relatable, and caring. Evidence in the book that shows that Lylah is relatable is, “I haven’t had a full panic attack in over a year. I thought I was past this. I thought I was mentally strong enough to calm myself down before I had an attack. My hands find each other, and I grip them together, trying to stop my hands from shaking. Why can’t I stay better? I have to be strong. There is no time for me to fall apart here. (Page. 224).” I believe this shows Lylah being relatable because so many people, that have gone through some majorly tragic life events like she has, have gone through the same thing, have experienced the same mental state that she portrays through the book, and could relate to the actions she takes because of it. This could help readers (that have gone through similar experiences) relate to someone, and find comfort in that relatability, which could make the book way more enjoyable for them.

The quote that caught my eye was, “I’m tired of being scared and feeling weak. I’m ready to face him. I’m ready to fight.” (Page. 213). This was a powerful quote that stood out to me because it shows Lyla’s character development and mental development. I say this because before these events she was struggling with independency issues/being too dependent on others. Especially when she lost two major people in her life two years prior, she was very dependent on her older brother, and felt like she couldn’t breathe when he even left the house (in fear of him never returning). For that reason, it is a big deal that she has now overcome that, and is ready to face her fears head on by herself. Also this quote shows that Lylah understands the killers ways/choices by realizing that the killer isn’t gonna stop until they kill everyone that Lylah loves unless she does something about it.

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For this month, I chose to read the novel, The Upside of Falling. The Upside of Falling is a 288 page, teen romantic novel, written by Alex Light, and takes place in a small town. It is in this small town where we are introduced to our two main characters. Becca Hart is a seventeen-year-old girl who is obsessed with reading, especially romance books. Though, she doesn’t actually believe in love due to a traumatic past occurrence, that happened five years prior. And it’s safe to mention that she is no where near popular in her high school. While our second character, Brett Wells, is somewhat the complete opposite of Becca; Extremely rich, captain of the high school’s football team, perfect family, and the most popular guy in school. One day, when Becca’s former best friend, Jenny, jokes around about her never having a boyfriend/never experiencing a romantic connection before, Becca panics, and unintentionally lies about having a boyfriend. Overhearing Becca’s lie, Brett steps up to impersonate Becca’s mystery boyfriend. Now you may be wondering what is the reason for the seemingly perfect Brett Wells to agree to this fake relationship, well, he has never dated anyone, and is always bothered/teased about it by everyone in his life. Though focusing on football and his future is way more important to Brett than experiencing/pursuing a high school relationship. Specifically, with this fake relationship people can get off of Brett’s back about never having a girlfriend, and Becca can prove to Jenny, and everyone in her life, that she is able to be in/maintain a relationship. Though maintaining a seemingly perfect relationship to the outside world isn’t as easy as you may think when you learn that this relationship is strictly supposed to stay fake. With Becca still healing herself from her past, and Brett, in the current day, struggling to keep himself together after a travesty occurs in his life, they begin to secure a tight bond with each other. As they continue to grow closer, they question if there relationship is staring to become real or not. This dilemma has left them both wondering if this relationship was always meant to be fake, or if this was fate pulling them together for the happy-ever-after they both deserve.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it’s so relaxed and laid-back. Sometimes I just wanna have a relaxing read, and this book fulfills that. No crazy mystery, no mind-boggling jump scares, but just a simple, yet fun story of two teens navigating their way through life, overcoming lively obstacles, and following their hearts. Also I find it interesting how every chapter switches points of view between the two characters. The first chapter starts with Becca’s POV, and the next chapter is Brett’s, and it goes in that order through the whole book. Another thing is this book has very relatable characters in it, and characters’ backstories that some readers can identify with. Basically to describe this book into words is: simple, relaxing, laid-back, heart-warming, relatable characters, and dream-like.

One of my favorite quotes from this book is, “The memories and the pain and all those questions that had held me down like an anchor—I stood there and smiled as they washed away.”(Page. 264). This is my favorite quote because this scene is a huge turning point for the story and Becca because the pain/trauma that Becca was holding down for so long inside her was affecting her whole life before this, and would have stopped her from finding true love, happiness, and truly being herself if she hadn’t let that all go. Though now that she let all that go, she can now live her life as she pleases. Also this moment in the book teaches people, who read this book, that it is never too late to let go of trauma/pain, and it is never too late to be yourself.

My favorite character has to be Jenny because the three character traits that she shows throughout the book is supportive, reliable, and genuine. One piece of evidence that shows that Jenny is supportive is, “ ‘Becca?’ Jenny asked, staring down at the mess I had become. ‘You look like you could use a ride.’ ”(Page. 183). This implies she is supportive because even though her and Becca weren’t really on speaking terms, and not as close as they were before, she still recognized that Becca had just had maybe one of the worst nights of her life, and she pulled her out of that situation by driving her home. Also after that night Jenny offered her full care and support to Becca. Which shows what an actual supportive person would do in a situation, even if they are not close with a person.

You think you have a crazy life story well, my dog turned me invisible! The good thing is my invisibility will turn off after twenty-four hours (that’s what my dog told me). The second good thing is I already have this invisible twenty-four day planned with three fun things (I thought about it a lot). The first thing on my list is, I’m going to prank my whole family throughout the whole day. For example, move things around in their room right in front of them to make them think their going crazy, move their things to places they didn’t leave them, etc. The second thing that I will do is, if I see people with air pods in their ears, I’ll switch some people’s air pods around, so they have to go searching for their own. Which would be very funny to me. The third, and final thing that I would do is go to Knott’s Berry Farm. I would ride the rides, play the games, and eat the food. Basically have the best time of my life. I would go here because if I’m invisible, then I can get into Knott’s for free, and everything in life “taste” better when it’s free. Well that’s what I’m going to do as an invisible person for twenty-four hours. What would you do if you were invisible for a period of time? Also remember, if you don’t want to become invisible, don’t annoy your pet because they just might work their magic on you.

My bucket list has tons of goals on it, that I want to achieve before I die. Though I don’t want to keep you here all day, so I’ll tell you five that include some that are apart of my top ten, and some that are not as big. My first thing is to take a gap year from college. I would want to take a gap year because colleges recommend it, I’ll be able to find myself/become more confident, I’ll be able to make friends, travel, make extra money, go to gap year fairs to find travel programs or internship programs, and just relax from everything college does to you. My second bucket list item is to adopt a bunch of animals, and live on a big plot of land to raise them. I’ll adopt the animals from rescue shelters, animal adoption agencies, or if i just find them on the side of the road in need/neglected/hurt. I want to do this because there are so many animals in shelters that are scheduled to be put down for no reason, there are animals that are neglected/abused in their homes, and stray animals that need loving homes. I’ll adopt as much animals as I can, and live in a big house on a big plot of land, where they can live their best lives. My third and final item on my bucket list is to have a family. Specifically, four children (boy, girl, girl, boy), living in a big house, on a big plot of land, with all our animals, and my amazing husband. That is my “top three” bucket list.

Life on my abandoned island is lonely. Some days the loneliness is my friend, and other days I hate it. You might be wondering how I ended up on this island, well…. It all happened very fast. You see I was in a private jet, flying across the Atlantic Ocean for a work trip, but I never got to enjoy that trip because our jet went down into the ocean. I swear, someone called me a miracle because I was the only survivor, and how do you survive a plane crash into the water like that?! Luckily, I spotted this island in the distance, and used one of the wreckage pieces to float to it. When I eventually floated to shore, it was rough, because I obviously had several injuries, but day by day those wounds healed, and no one has come looking for me. Before I jump into my everyday routine, let me describe my wonderful island to you. Palm trees everywhere with coconuts waiting to be picked, tons of fruit trees (mango, and banana trees), pineapple plants, berry bushes, beautiful plants and flowers, my straw hut built smack-dab in the center of the island, swimming holes for fishing, lots of small creatures (ex: frogs, lizards, iguanas, butterflies, etc), lots of game (rabbits, squirrels, chinchillas, raccoons, etc), rich soil patches, my own tiki bar that I built near my hut, forest patches throughout the island, huge sand rocks on the beach, beautiful seashells on the sand where the ocean meets, and my favorite part: the waterfall-pond that streams into the ocean. The island gives of tropical vibes basically. Now that you can partially imagine what my everyday life looks like, let’s dive into my everyday routine. First, I wake up around the time the sun rises (I can’t tell time) in my medium-sized straw hut, and make my way to the waterfall to bathe and wash my clothes. When I’m ready for the day, I’ll make my way to my coconut tiki bar where I stalk up on water, coconuts/coconut juice, already-cooked game, berries, mango, pineapple, and bananas for breakfast. If I’m low on any of them, I’ll either go back to my hut, grab my wooden bow and arrow, and catch some game, or I’ll go to the designated plant where I’ll find more of the needed fruit. After that, I’ll usually find a fun activity to do like go fishing, explore, go swimming in the pond-waterfall, climb trees, try to get help in any way I can, or craft something (like I did with my coconut tiki bar). These activities usually takes me from mid-day to evening, and while doing these activities, I’ll usually bring a snack to snack on from my tiki. When the sun sets, I’ll watch the sun set while sitting on the beach eating my dinner (usually the game I caught). after dinner, I’ll walk to my tiki bar to grab water. Finally I’ll make my way to my hut just before the sun completely disappears, and sometimes cry because I miss my family, and feel extremely lonely (on some days). Some days are harder than others, but I take it day by day, and will have to get used to this being my home (until I finally get help).

A Dumbledore quote that relates to my life is, “We must all face the choice between what is right, and what is easy.” This quotes means (to me) that when we are in a situation to choose between right or easy, you should always go for the right option because it could benefit your future. Instead of choosing the easy way out of it. For example, say a person stole from a store, and the police are trying to catch the thief. The easy option for the robber would be to stay in hiding, and never fess up. Though the right option (that Dumbledore implies that you should always choose) would be to confess to the police of their wrong doing. One way that my life relates to this quote is, whenever our math class get our test scores back, we have an option to retake a question on the test that we didn’t do the best on. If you retake, you relearn the problem, and ultimately prove to our math teacher that you have earned full credit on that question. Therefore bringing your grade up by having full credit on that question. This would obviously be the right option to go for (since it rises you grade), yet the easy option would be to just leave you original test score as it is, and not do anything about it.

For the month of January, I chose to read The Lake. The Lake is a 384 page mystery thriller written by Natasha Preston, which takes place somewhere in Texas during summer time. Where we see two childhood best friends, Esme and Kayla, return to there beloved summer camp, Camp Pine Lake as CITs, even though they both share a gut-wrenching secret from ten years ago when they were campers there, and absolutely no one (besides them) knows. All is fun in the sun with Esme and Kayla, meeting new friends to chill with, and new boys to crush on seems amazing, but when mysteriously bone-chilling (and awfully strange) events start to happen at camp, all CIT’s, counselors, and the head owner, Andy, are put on edge. Especially Esme and Kayla, as the threats seem to be linked to their dark, awful, and unforgivable, secret from ten years ago. As Natasha Preston writes, “the lake never forgets…”

I definitely recommend this book because the whole story keeps you on edge the whole entire time. Chilling cliffhangers are at the end of every chapter, and extremely crazy plot twists are never too far ahead. This book really makes you think about how well you know a person, and how much trust can you put into someone. If you don’t prefer predictable endings/books then this is the one for you. Trust me, when I was reading it, I had no idea where this book was going to possibly end up, my mind was racing with the possibilities of even the next chapter. If your like me, you’ll be excited to hear that this book has super short chapters (I think the longest chapter was five pages), so you will never get bored. This book has love, betrayal, heartbreak, death, murder, mystery, horror, friendship, and basically everything thrilling in a book wrapped up into one, singular book.

My favorite character, of this book, has to be Esme because she is respectful, loyal, and clever. One piece of evidence that shows that Esme is respectful is, “It would set off the anxiety in Kayla that she’s fought so hard to get under control…It took years of therapy for her to get where she is now. That could all be undone if I’m not careful.” (Page. 287-288). This shows that she’s respectful because instead of Esme revealing to Kayla about a dangerous person being in their cabin for a few minutes, Esme keeps that in because she is afraid it will upset Kayla. Showing that Esme respects Kayla’s feelings/mental well-being (and wanting Kayla to have fun/be happy) instead of ranting/getting the new secret of her chest, and sharing the new horrifying news with Kayla.

My favorite quote from The Lake is, “…it’s ok, though, because I just realized I would do anything to protect you.” (Page 355). This is my favorite quote because it showcases the massively strong friendship that Esme and Kayla share together. Even after Kayla betrayed Esme, almost getting killed together, having multiple arguments, being friends for more than ten years without drifting apart, and many more events, they still will always be there for one another, and love each other (platonically). It’s just paints a universal theme that some friendships can get through anything together (if your friends with the right people). Even a murderous summer camp won’t do the trick.