ʀᴇᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ

2

Present day

Graduation came and went in a blur of caps, gowns, and fleeting goodbyes. The reality of adult life hit me like a freight train. My diploma, shiny and new, felt like a ticket to nowhere as I grappled with the overwhelming uncertainty of what came next.

Sitting in my childhood bedroom, now cluttered with boxes of my past, I scrolled through job listings on my laptop, the soft glow illuminating the room as the sun dipped below the horizon. Oakwood felt smaller than ever, suffocating in its familiarity.

"Hey, Emily, any luck?" my mom called from the hallway, her voice tinged with the hope she always tried to infuse into our conversations about my future.

"Not really," I replied, trying to mask my frustration. Another rejection email pinged into my inbox, and I sighed, closing the laptop in defeat.

I glanced around my room, the walls still adorned with relics of high school days-pictures of me, Sarah, Olivia, Michael, and David, frozen in time, smiling back at me from various frames. We were so certain then, invincible in our youth and bound by dreams we hadn't yet been forced to confront.

A message popped up on my phone, breaking my reverie. It was Olivia, our group's unyielding optimist.

> Olivia: "Hey Em! Any updates? Miss you! ❤️"

I quickly typed back, trying to sound upbeat.

> Me: "Miss you too, Liv. No luck yet. Just... figuring things out."

Olivia's response was instant.

> Olivia: "You'll find something. You're amazing! And remember, Australia is always an option! 🌏"

Australia. The idea had been floating in the back of my mind for months, ever since Olivia mentioned it during one of our late-night chats. She had a way of making everything seem possible, even when my confidence wavered.

I leaned back in my chair, the weight of decision pressing on me. Staying here meant safety, familiarity, but also stagnation. Moving to Australia for postgraduate studies felt like a leap into the unknown, exciting but terrifying.

With a deep breath, I opened my laptop again, navigating to the application portal for a postgraduate program in Australia. The cursor hovered over the "Submit" button as doubts swirled in my mind. Could I really do this? Leave everything behind?

Another ping on my phone. It was Olivia again, as if she sensed my hesitation.

> Olivia: "You got this, Em. Think of all the new adventures waiting for you!"

Her message was the final push I needed. The connection we shared, despite the distance and time, felt like an anchor in this sea of uncertainty. I took a deep breath and clicked "Submit."

The screen flashed a confirmation, and just like that, my future was set in motion.

I stared at the screen, heart pounding, a mixture of fear and exhilaration coursing through me. Moving to Australia for my postgraduate studies wasn't just about education; it was about rediscovering myself, stepping out of the shadows of my past, and perhaps, finding a piece of my heart I thought I'd lost.

As the stars began to twinkle outside my window, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. I was finally taking control, charting my own course. The path ahead was uncertain, but it was mine. And maybe, just maybe, the stars in Australia would shine a little brighter, guiding me to where I was meant to be.

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