+Chapter One+

   The tears ran down my cheeks as I stood in the warm, pouring rain looking at the terrible sight. There were news reports and cameras everywhere. I didn't expect that something so great in my life would end like this. Here I was, about a year and a half later in my life and already I lost something so great. I collapsed on the ground and held my head in my hands. I couldn't take any of this any more, I wanted out.
   I was only 17 years old, so why was this happening to me? Was it something I did? Was God mad at me? I sat there with many thoughts of regret in my mind, when a familiar hand reached down and touched my shoulder. I looked over at his face as he sat down next to me. I knew he was crying too, it's pretty hard to tell with all the rain.
   I leaned over to give him a hug. It was a dark afternoon on May 17. The rain was warm and the air was too. As I stopped hugging him, I leaned back and looked at him. All the memories of how we all met came back to me as fast as the rain was coming.

   "GABI!" shouted my 13 year old sister, Jessica, as she walked in the bathroom to see me blow drying my curly red hair, "GABRIELE! There's a phone call for you"
   I looked over at her and turned off the blow-dryer, "Who is it?"
   "How should I know," she shrugged her shoulders and walked away.
   Walking to the phone, I didn't realize that this one phone call would change my life forever. It was December, and I was on my last week of school before Christmas vacation. I was wondering who called me at 6:00am. I got to my bedroom and picked up the phone, "Hello?"
   "Hello, is this Gabriele Freidman?"
   "Yes this is. May I ask who's speaking?" I couldn't recognize the voice at the other end.
   "This is John from Jive Records. Remember that demo tape you sent us about three months ago?" He asked as my heart began to speed up wondering what he was calling for.
   "Yes I do," I barely got those words out.
   "Well, we listened to it and we absolutely loved it!" John said with excitement in his voice, "We would like to know if you can come down to Florida next week. We already have hotel reservations for you and a plane booked"
   I started to cry when I heard those words. I didn't know what to do but sit there. Than like a brick hit me, I jumped up and became excited, "You're serious? I can go, I can. I'll be there in Florida next week."
   "Great!" He said as I listened, "I'll see you next week than. Goodbye" He told me as he hung the phone up.
   I stood there dazed, than I hung up the phone and ran down the stairs to my parents. I think I set a new record there.

Chapter 2