𝟷 | Emma

I packed 18 years of my life into one bag and was now heading to a new country, a new continent, with no idea when I’d be coming back. Just me, my ticket, and a dream.

And somehow… that felt both terrifying and freeing at the same time.

~

Once I was on the plane, it all felt like a dream. One I wanted to wake up from and realize it was all a lie… but I didn’t.

The hum of the engine, the quiet chatter around me, the soft light above my seat. Everything felt distant, like I wasn’t really there.

I started watching a movie, trying to prepare myself for the whole adventure that was yet to come.

I was watching Beautiful Boy, one of my favorites. It always helped me remember to live without fear and made me feel something… even when I felt nothing.

At some point, I just stared at the screen without really seeing it, lost in my own thoughts.

Was I really ready for this?

~

I arrived in London, and everything felt so unreal. Am I really doing this?

The air felt different. Colder. Heavier. New.

I held my bag a little tighter as I stepped outside the airport, watching strangers pass by like they all knew exactly where they were going… unlike me.

I called a taxi to take me to my new flat. My adoptive parents had taken care of everything; the ticket, the flat, food, money. I just needed to focus on one thing: be happy and be careful. And, most of all… find my parents.

The city passed by outside the window in a blur of lights and unfamiliar streets. I rested my head against the glass, letting out a quiet breath I didn’t even realize I was holding.

This was it. No turning back.

~

The flat was small, but nice. Perfect for me since it was just me, myself and I.

It smelled faintly like fresh paint and something unfamiliar, like a place that hadn’t been lived in yet. Like it was waiting for me.

As I was bringing my things inside, struggling a little more than I wanted to admit, a boy approached me.

“Hey! Can I help, ma’am?” the brunette boy asked, his voice soft and kind.

I caught his eyes. That shade of brown that reminds me of chocolate, trees, and something warm.

It instantly became my new favorite color… and I didn’t even know his name. Or anything about him, really.

For a second, everything else faded. The noise, the stress, the fear… gone.

I quickly snapped out of my daydream.

“Oh, uhm… I wouldn’t mind the help, actually.” I smiled, a little shy but grateful.

He smiled back. The kind of smile that made you feel a little more at ease without even trying.

He started helping me, carrying one of my bags like it weighed nothing, and we made small talk on the way up.

“So, you’re new, huh?” he asked, curious but gentle.

“Yeah. I’m Emma, from Santa Monica.” I smiled nervously.

“Nice to meet you, Emma from Santa Monica. I’m Ethan, from London.”

I let out a small chuckle, shaking my head slightly.

“Well, that’s very original.”

He laughed softly.

And for the first time since I got on that plane… I felt like maybe, just maybe, everything was going to be okay.

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