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This is something I wrote for a contest. I hope you like it!

Luck. It was something she never seemed to have. Emma always got the worst jobs, the mean boyfriends and was never liked by many. Because of this, she was careful and alone. There few people who were her friends cared about her, and she knew that, but she would always be in this invisible shell. Scared to come out and show people who she really was. Well, until she met Ebony.

Ebony was a carefree girl. She made friends easy and was always able to help others out. She always had a way with people. A lot of people said she had all the luck. When she saw Emma in the cafeteria at school, she quickly walked over to her and said, “Hi. I’m Ebony. What’s your name?”

Emma stared up at her and said, “My name is Emma.”

Ebony saw something in her eyes that made her sit down. Fear. She knew she had to help her. “Are you ok? Something seems really wrong.”

Emma saw that she could trust Ebony. That she wasn’t one of those pretty girls who would act like they were best friends then trash her like yesterday’s news. “No. I’m not ok, actually. A bunch of people think its ok to treat me like trash and I can’t do anything about it.”

Ebony got up and pulled Emma to her feet. “Yes you can. You can start by making your own luck. My grandmother always told me to be the luckiest person in the world, you have to make your own luck, not try to find it with little charms.” To Emma, it seemed to make sense. But how? She wondered. Ebony pulled Emma out of the school and to where a car was waiting. She handed Emma her phone and told her, “Call your parents. Make sure it’s ok if you go to the mall with me and my mom.” Emma quickly did and got approval from her mom. She hopped in the car next to Ebony and gave her phone back. She smiled at Ebony who shot a smile back.

The mall wasn’t very far away but to Emma it seemed like forever. Ebony and Emma quickly left Ebony’s mom at the food court and headed to one of the stores. Emma looked confused. “One part of making your luck is believing in yourself. That includes liking how you look.” Ebony pulled her around the store and helped her pick a few things off the racks. Their arms were full of clothes when they went back to the fitting rooms. After trying on many outfits, they agreed on a pair of faded jeans with a patterned pink t-shirt and a black button-down vest.

Emma turned to Ebony as they left the store with her new outfit in hand and said, “You know, I have never met anyone who was as nice as you are.”

“It’s what I do. I don’t like seeing people down and I always feel a need to help them. Many people say I have all the luck but they never try to obtain any themselves. Part of luck is also having great friends to stick by you through anything.”

“I have some friends like that, but none have tried to ever help me the way you are with me at all. They sit with me through the rough times but no one has ever stepped up and gone out shopping or to a movie or anything with me.”

“Sometimes, people find it hard to help others. I would know. I used to be like that, but then I learned it helps to be a great friend.” Soon they made their way back to where they left Ebony’s mom. “Hey mom, could she sleep over tonight? It’s Friday after all.”

“I don’t see a problem with it.” Emma was already trying to find her cell phone in the bottom of her purse. She quickly dialed the number and spoke quickly to her mom. A smile grew on her face as she flipped her phone closed and threw it back into her purse.

“My mom said yes.” Emma and Ebony climbed into the car and Emma gave Ebony’s mom directions to her house. After maneuvering around her hyperactive twin brother and sister, she got into her room and quickly threw a bunch of clothes into an over-night bag. Ebony was playing with Emma’s little brother and sister while she waited for Emma to get her stuff together. Emma gave a quick kiss to her mom and a big hug to her brother and sister before exiting the house.

Ebony’s mom took them back to Ebony’s home where the girls quickly ran up the stairs and to Ebony’s room. It was a soft, Kelly green room with white, black and darker green accents. A black cork board stood out beside her desk with photos and ribbons. “Mom’s idea,” she said when she noticed Emma looking at it. She turned on the medium sized T.V. in front of her bed and popped in a DVD. Her mom brought up popcorn while the girls changed into pajamas. Lying on Ebony’s bed watching the movie Emma realized one thing that night.

She was the luckiest girl in the world.