In the back of her mind, Nyla regretted not having shipped her belongings to Houston. The journey was going to be a long one, requiring them to leave two days before move-in day. Road trips were never her thing; she preferred to stretch her legs rather than be confined in a truck for hours. Zara and her family had decided to fly down on the day of the move-in, avoiding the long drive altogether.
Nyla glanced around her room, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything important.
"Nyla!" her father called out from downstairs.
"Yeah?" she replied, stepping into the hallway.
There wasn't much to pack into the truck, but it was still no easy task. Nyla felt like she was bringing her entire wardrobe with her.
"You ready?" her father asked.
"Almost!" she shouted back.
"Okay, your mom and I will be waiting for you in the truck."
Nyla grabbed her backpack, filled with her essentials, and headed down to the truck. Climbing in, she greeted her mother, who she'd always been told she resembled.
"Hey, Mom!"
"Hey, boo. You hungry?" her mom asked.
"Yeah, I could eat."
Her mom handed her a Nature Valley bar. "Here you go."
Nyla frowned. "I thought you made breakfast?"
Her mom chuckled. "And when was I supposed to have time to make breakfast?"
Nyla rolled her eyes playfully.
"Y'all ready to go?" her dad asked.
"Let's do it," she said, fastening her seatbelt.
Two Days Later:
Today was the day of the move-in, and as they drew closer to the school, Nyla felt a wave of nerves wash over her.
You dream about this day as a kid, and now it's here, she thought. Time is constant, and it seems to keep moving faster by the minute.
As they entered the city, her anxiety only grew.
"You okay?" her mom asked, snapping her out of her daydream.
Nyla shook her head, turning to her mom. "Yeah, why?" she asked, frowning at the comment.
"Well, your dad was telling you something, and you were lost in thought."
