Jozelyn Santos, Short Story “The Letter”

There was a dream that Isabel had as a young girl, to design and make clothes. She was gifted sketch books that came with two mannequins on each page and clothing stencils, which only grew her love for drawing designs even more. As Isabel got older, the stencils were forgotten, as she began to teach herself how to make her ideas come to life with the simplicity of using paper and pencil. By the sixth grade, Isabel knew she wanted to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology, a college well known for its fashion designing program, yet two years later she found out something that made her feels she can get even closer to her dream. Isabel had discovered that there was school named “The High School of Fashion Industries” and with the support of her parents, she began to work harder to get accepted into this High School. In order to get into the school, Isabel needed to go through an audition process that involved a drawing workshop, a written test to understand a student’s academic standing and of course, showcasing your passion for designing. A few weeks after, the letter of her dreams arrived, stating that she had been accepted to the fashion designing program, filling Isabel with the purest of joy. Throughout her High School years, the travel from Queens to Manhattan and her success in within the fashion program only reminded Isabel that her determination to follow her plans will lead to great things. 

Gifted a brand new mannequin and sewing machine, Isabel had everything she needed to develop her portfolio for the F.I.T submissions. As weeks passed, by Isabel had received acceptance letters from other colleges, but the only one she had in mind was bright and colorful folder, with “F.I.T” written in big blue letters. Checking her mailbox everyday, Isabel’s day had finally come with a letter from her dream school. However, she did not see this wonderful folder filled with dreams, but only a dreadfully plain, white envelope. Opening it on her way up three flights of stairs to her apartment door, which started to feel like ten, Isabel read this letter that made her heart drop to the floor. 

How can so many years of love and hard work not be enough for being accepted to her dream college? This was the question running through Isabel’s mind as she started blank at the rejection letter. As her mother saw the tears in her eyes she told Isabel that:

Mother: I know this is not what you wanted, I know you worked hard but listen to me. You got accepted to other colleges, you created a back up plan for yourself in case this would happen. Unfortunately it did but it is not the end of your dreams.

Isabel: How is it not the end? I created a plan for myself to reach my goal. Was my skills and desire to be a designer not enough?

Mother: Maybe it was not enough right now, but that does not mean it will always not be enough. Lay down and breath. I am going to give you some time for yourself.

As Isabel’s mother left the room, she realized that the tears she cried was not only filled with sadness but also a sense of relief. Relief that she does not have to force herself to still follow a dream that was solely based on a passion that began to fade away during High School. There were tears of fear because she was not sure what will be the next step for her. What she did know was that going to City tech for the Business of Fashion may lead her to her next step. You see, Isabel is a person who develops a plan for herself to feel like she has control. Yet, on that day she realized that she can not have full control of her life and that everything happens for a reason.