Every girl wants a fair tale. Every girl wants “Prince Charming” to come rescue her from her tower. Unfortunately, fairy tales are deceiving. Fairy tales are not always as they seem, and Anna Fargo learned that the hard way.



“Congratulations! It’s a Girl!” Anna’s mother smiled with delight as a small infant wrapped in a blanket was handed to her.

“She is beautiful, my baby girl,” Mr. Fargo remarked with true sincerity.

From the start Anna was destined for trouble. On the car ride home from the hospital the Fargo’s got in a terrible car accident, and had to be rushed back to the hospital. The doctors and nurses were shocked Anna was unharmed, however her parents were not in the same condition. After staying in the hospital for another night, to sew up many of the parents cuts and bruises, the family took the bus home.

At age two Anna was talking and walking, she was strangely well mannered and very smart. Her and her father would sit by the fire each evening and read a picture book, while Mrs. Fargo sat in the kitchen reading her magazines. Anna smiled and watched her father read, her long bouncy strawberry ringlets were tied lightly tossed over one shoulder. Her bright green and bewitching eyes were candidly focused on her father, and her rosy red lips were sealed.

Anna began to attend school and was far ahead of the other students, at age four she could read flawlessly and even do little math problems. By eleven she was at the top of her class, and by thirteen, she was taking all honors courses. At this point her strawberry curls reached her waist, and her face was much less rounded, she was very beautiful, but she never cared.

That year things went down hill. Her mother began to have back pains, and after trying to live through them, Mrs. Fargo decided she needed to visit a doctor. The doctor prescribed her some pills to ease the pain and said there was simply nothing more to do.

At age fourteen Anna’s mother died of suicidal over dose. In the past year the pills had made her depressed and delusional to the point where she wanted to leave her beloved family. It was a tough time for Anna, her grades were dropping, her friends were disappearing, and with no Mrs. Fargo, Mr. Fargo was lost.

After attending her mother’s funeral Anna tried to let everything go, but as she walked to and from school everyday, all alone, she felt the absence of love and warmth in her life. Mr. Fargo was going insane. He would come home drunk almost every night, he was on drugs, and obviously lost his job. At age fifteen Anna was expected to make all the money, she worked hard for what she earned, but it was never quite enough. Her father continued to fall to pieces, and Anna was forced to quit school and pay more attention to him. He was a disaster, he would try to hit her and beat her, she always managed to clam him down, but only long enough for him to get another drink. Anna couldn’t stand watching her father, it pained her to see his mental and physical state. She had become worn and beat down as well, and only found comfort in reading her father stories at night, like he once did to her.

Finally one day she realized that she couldn’t handle it. She sat in a corner and wept and wept and wept. Her hair was knotted and her eyes bloodshot with dark circles underneath them from the lack of sleep. She had hit rock bottom and was having trouble coming up when the Child Care Agency called. They had to take her away from her father and home. They had to take her away from every thing she knew and loved.
She later found out her father had died after killing a man one evening.

The agency took her to an orphanage for a month, before she was given foster parents. She was forced to move yet again, but she remained level headed and strong. Her foster parents were treacherous, they were aggressive, scary, bossy and not at all what Anna was hoping for, however she did return to school.

“Hey, new girl, redhead, what’s your name?” Some random boy asked as Anna passed.

“Anna,” she whispered, “Anna.”

“Well Anna-”

Anna was sixteen now, and although she was torn on the inside, she did her best not to let that show.

“Josh, back off!” A perky blond yells as she pushes so called “Josh” out of the way.

“Hi, I’m Mary, and you must be Anna.”

“Yup, that’s me,” Anna sighs

“Would you like to come sit with me at lunch?” Mary asked.

“That would be great,” Anna says gleefully.

After enduring many classes lunch arrived and Anna found her table, Anna was introduced to many new girls, who were surprisingly kind. Anna forgot what kindness really was. She for the first time in many years felt happy, really happy.

Months passed and although she was still doing a plethora of chores for her foster family, she had made some great friends, Mary, Josh, Calvin, Joan, and Jamie. She was actually beginning to live a normal life. Although her true feelings are indescribable, she was overall jubilant. Then a new kid showed up mid-year, John Everglade. He was tall, had dark brown hair and forrest green eyes, he was always smirking and he always liked to be around Anna, but slowly Anna began to realize that she really liked him. He was not like the other boys more real and wholesome. By a few more months, they had become best friends.

“Hey Anna,” He muttered.

“Hi,” She replied.

“Prom is coming up, and there are like ten guys in line wanting to ask you.”

“And...”

“Well, I’m not one of them,” He said.

“What?”

John smiled and continued, “ So I could pick you up at your house at around eight, that night.”

“I never said yes!” Anna remarked.

“Oh, but you thought it,” He mumbled implanting a smooth kiss on her cheek.

Her heart fluttered as he walked away. What was this feeling? Why was she so jumpy? After explaining everything to Mary, who was totally jealous that John asked her out, she realized that it was love.

He lips were so soft and warm, his smile was so honest and calm, he was just sincere.

Prom night came around and Anna had picked out the perfect forrest green dress. It was silk and strapless and she had to save up a lot of money for it, but it was worth it because when John walked in the first thing he said was, “Wow.”

“YOU LOUSY PIG!!! GET YOUR NO GOOD SORRY LITTLE BUTT OVER HERE!!!” Anna’s foster mother screamed as she welcomed John in.

“Who is that?” John wondered.

“Oh that is no one, just give me a sec,” Anna muttered.

After doing her foster mother’s every beckon, she returned to John.

“Quick, before she calls me again,” Anna whispered as they ran out the door laughing.

The car ride was brief, they listened to radio and sang along getting excited for the wild night. Once inside the gym was jam packed. After hours of jumping around, a slow song came on. John grabbed Anna’s waist and Anna placed her arms around his neck as she rested her head on his shoulder. They swayed back and forth to the music. Anna had never been more happy, simply happy, in her entire life. As the song came to an end John took Anna outside to sit on the nearest bench.

“Thank-you,” She said, “this has been amazing. I...This...It all-”

She was cut off by John’s soft warm lips being pressed against hers. Fireworks went of in her mind as their lips perfectly intertwined.

“I like you Anna,” he states.

“I can see that, “ she jests

After a short chuckle he says, “Maybe more than that.”

“Me too,” They kiss again, that kiss brings her back to her early life, her happy little family, her lovely mother, her sincere father, and in that single moment, she finally lets it out. The emotion, stress, and anger that she felt poured out as she sat sobbing heavily in John’s arms. She explains everything to him, everything.

He listened closely and then carries her to his car and takes her to his house. It is a huge mansion with millions of rooms. The smallest one farthest away from everything was his. He stepped out of the room so Anna could change into sweatpants, and returned to lie on the bed. Anna rested her head on his soft cotton shirt, and still continued to sob. He patted her back and held her close as she let years of sorrow pour out.

“My life wasn’t great either,” He began, “My parents were never home, they never loved me. I purposefully flunked out of every school, to try to send them a message. Apparently they never got it. I was really close to my grandfather, but he died last year, and I was more lost then ever, and then I found you. Your hair glistened in the light, your smile brightened up a room, and you were stronger than the rest, you were and are amazing,” He paused, “I think I love you.”

Anna had seized her crying, “I...I...think I love you...too.”

Anna fell asleep happy, joyful, and cradled in John’s arms.

The following morning John told Anna she could live with him, and she did. They graduated and attended Stanford together, then got their masters and got married. After a few more years they had a beautiful baby girl named Jane, who seemed to be nothing but good luck and fortune.
At age thirty, Anna’s fairy tale came true, and she, and her family, lived happily ever after.