The speaker, Gwen, is from Louisiana and was born into a wealthy family. Her parents threw extravagant parties and her mother was a pastry chef. Gwen, however, was not like her parents, often getting muddy and having stains on her clothes. She was often mistaken for a boy and was not popular at school.
In eighth grade, Gwen's mother gave her a locket with the secret of beauty, success, and happiness. Gwen was skeptical but decided to wear it. When her mother got sick and her father started making poor business decisions, they lost their wealth and moved into a small apartment. Gwen started cooking dinner for her father, which helped them make ends meet.
One day, Gwen remembered her mother's words about the locket and decided to use it to help her father. She started making and selling meals from her mother's recipe book, which was a success. They were able to pay off their debts and move into a larger house.
At high school, Gwen met Emily, who was a cheerleader. Emily started to change her behavior to fit in with the popular crowd, including Candace, the cheerleading captain. Gwen felt hurt and betrayed by Emily's actions. However, Emily apologized and explained that she was trying to fit in.
Gwen and Emily reconciled, and their friendship was stronger than ever. Emily moved away, and Gwen was heartbroken. She met Damien, a famous movie star, who fell in love with her. They started dating, and Gwen's life changed dramatically.
One day, Gwen received a phone call from her father, who told her that her mother was awake after three years. Gwen was overjoyed and rushed to her mother's side. Her mother's recovery was a miracle, and it was all over the local news.
In the end, Gwen realized that the secret to her happiness was not in the locket, but in believing in herself. She apologized to Emily for her past actions and told her that she was always good enough.
1. Gwen is from Louisiana and was born into a wealthy family. Her parents were a successful businessman and a pastry chef.
2. Gwen's parents threw fancy parties every weekend and her mother wore beautiful dresses.
3. Gwen was not like her parents. She was unkempt and often had mud and grass stains on her clothes.
4. People often mistook Gwen for a boy due to her unconventional appearance.
5. Gwen's parents gave her a gold locket with a mirror inside. Inside the mirror, it was written "Beauty success happiness whatever your heart desires".
6. Gwen's mother fell sick and went into a coma, and her father started making bad business decisions, leading to their financial downfall.
7. Gwen started cooking dinner regularly for her father, which made her feel closer to her mother.
8. Gwen's father forgot to make dinner one day, and she found her mother's old recipe book and made a meal.
9. Gwen remembered her mother's words and opened her locket, which contained the secret of success.
10. Gwen started making and selling meals from her mother's recipe book, which led to orders pouring in.
11. Gwen and her father moved into a small house at the start of summer vacation.
12. Gwen's friend Emily moved away, and Gwen felt a sense of loss.
13. Gwen started dating Damien, a famous movie star, shortly after Emily moved away.
14. Gwen's mother woke up from her coma after three years.
15. Gwen's father managed the business full time, and they opened more branches, supplying meals all over the city.
16. Emily apologized to Gwen for her past behavior and expressed regret for not being a good friend.