Chapter 15

 

Chapter 15: Looking Ahead

Years passed.

Becky was no longer a scared little girl clutching her diary.

She was Becky Hernandez, a high school senior, sitting in the front row of her immigration law class at Fair Lawn High School.

Her notebook was open, her pen tapping against the pages as she listened to her teacher discuss legal cases—cases just like hers.

She had been accepted to Rutgers University, where she planned to study law and political science.

Her dream was no longer just words in a diary.

It was real.

A Visit to Mr. Alvarez

On a warm afternoon, Becky walked into a familiar office.

Mr. Alvarez looked up from his desk and smiled. “There’s my future lawyer.”

Becky grinned. “More like almost future lawyer.”

She sat down across from him. “I just wanted to say thank you. You helped me find my voice. And now, I want to do what you do.”

Mr. Alvarez leaned back, nodding. “You already are, Becky. You already are.”

Flashback to the Diary

That night, Becky pulled out an old, worn book from her bookshelf.

Her diary.

She flipped through the pages, running her fingers over the words she had written as a child.

Then, she found the last entry she had written before closing the book for good:

“Dear Diary,
I used to feel powerless. But not anymore.

One day, I’ll stand in a courtroom, just like Mr. Alvarez, and I’ll say the words:

‘Your Honor, this family belongs here.’

And I will make sure they listen.”

Becky smiled.

She was getting closer to that moment every day.

And when it came, she would be ready.

Final Scene: The Future is Hers

As she sat at her desk, preparing for her next assignment, Becky looked out the window.

The sun was setting over Fair Lawn, painting the sky in warm oranges and pinks.

She took a deep breath.

She was no longer just a girl searching for answers.

She was becoming the person who would help others find them.

Her journey wasn’t over.

It was just beginning.