Axel Vix was a 16 year old boy from the town of Dallas, Texas. Axel lived with his younger brother Sebastian (13) and his single father, Dante. Axel never got along with his brother, as both had opposite interests. Axel tended to be distant from everyone, with really no friends, spending most of his time alone up in his room.

Axel was often drawing or gaming, often drowned out in his world of music. While Sebastian was an outgoing kid, with plenty of friends, he was always involved in sports and was often never home. Axel’s mother has been away for a couple of years now, for unknown complications in Axel’s younger life. As for his younger siblings, they were living with his aunt, though she wasn’t the best possible person of his family, always disregarding his family to focus on her own life.

Axel attended Cameron A. High School, located just outside of the city. Being just in his tenth grade, Axel took the toughest classes he could. Axel got along with most of his teachers, but never really talked to any of his classmates, even though most of them he grew up with since Pre-K. Most of his friends were either placed in different classes or were in different grades than him.

Axel’s best friend – being in a grade above him – was a huge novelist named Connor. Both bonded over their love for story writing and have even begun their own projects together. Axel also had a girlfriend, Kara, who was from a neighboring town. Axel seemed to keep his friend group limited, as he didn’t want to strike too much emotion to too many people.

Axel’s life changed, though, after a demon would walk into his life. The demon was a female, and she was very greedy and selfish. She terrorized Axel’s life the most out of his family. Though his father loved her, she would push back on him, but he’d still do anything for her. He went through massive pain for the last three years because of her. His father finally cut her out of their lives, though this wasn’t the end of his pain. Axel needed some real mental health help, because he was ruined by even the closest people to him. He was thrown into therapy and put on watch. Axel felt like he didn’t want to live life, but he deeply had something that kept him going and that being…the creation of video games.

Ever since Axel was young he’s been planning to pursue video game designing as a career. Particularly, he wanted to be his own boss, a CEO of a company, where he could manage anything and everything.

He worked tirelessly on his projects, spending days, nights, weeks, months, designing things for his games. This caught him though, as his life was consumed into these projects. His friends started to notice it and so did his teachers. He started to slip in school and hadn’t even realized. He would always be too zoned out to notice anything. Then one day…he just woke up. He saw everything was growing up and changing around him. He realized he took too long to write this article….

…because, funny story…this is based on me, this reporter.

You probably weren’t expecting this outcome, since no one really pays attention to the author themselves, just the story. Now where does that leave you, as the reader? Maybe, quite possibly, you haven’t seem to realize everything. Maybe being too wrapped up in things or drama you haven’t realized yourself, that the world around you is calling to you, but you haven’t woken up yet. Possible? Could be. But I can say that, for I probably don’t know any of you, maybe you’re struggling really bad and just need some guidance. Maybe you’re currently getting guidance but it’s not helping. Maybe you haven’t reached out yet or no one has noticed your pain. Does this sound like you? Quite possible, but who knows, maybe you’re living a great life. I’m just saying, give yourself some time to breathe and just think to honor those around you for what they’ve done.

Ending with some final advice, don’t stay too long in the clouds. I did that and it’s costing me a lot. I’m climbing out, though, so don’t worry about me, but just know, don’t only worry about the story itself, think about the person who wrote it, maybe it’ll tell you something about them.

I’m not trying to give myself any recognition, but maybe these stories below will help you realize what greatness you have. Until we meet again, a person to a person, you’re doing all right. Don’t think no one’s there for you, because there truly is, just your weekly reporter: Trysten A.

Drowning Out Reality – Advice on why you should have more fantasy or reality

10 Things that Remind me how much I love life – Advice on why you should continue to live the way you live

Forgive Everyone, For Everything – Advice on why you shouldn’t hold a grudge

It’s not enough to just go through the motions of life  – Advice on why you should live life