The king of everything

Chapter two- The journey begins

The hum of the cab's engine was steady, almost hypnotic, as it rolled through the quiet streets. The early morning fog still lingered in the air, giving the familiar surroundings an almost dreamlike quality. I leaned back against the worn leather seat, clutching my backpack a little tighter than usual. It felt like a shield—a small piece of home I could take with me. My mother's words still rang in my ears, her voice full of love and concern.

*"Stay focused, but remember to enjoy yourself. Don't lose who you are out there."*
I turned my gaze toward the window, watching as the neighborhood i had known all my life slowly disappeared. I knew the route by heart—the winding roads, the familiar park on the corner where i had spent countless summer days, and the grocery store where my mother dragged me on errands. Each landmark felt like a small goodbye, a reminder that life was about to change in ways I couldn't fully comprehend.

The cab driver hadn't said much, aside from a quick greeting when I first got in. The silence was both comforting and unnerving. My mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead—new faces, new classes, and the weight of expectations, both my own and those placed upon me by others.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, pulling me out of my thoughts. It was a message from my mom.

*"Let me know when you get to the bus stop, okay? Love you, always."*

I  smiled softly and quickly typed a response.

*"I will, love you too."*

The cab pulled up to the bus stop with a soft jerk. I fished a few bills from my wallet, handed them to the driver, and stepped out into the cool morning air. The bus stop was mostly empty, save for a couple of other travelers, each lost in their own world. I checked the time—my bus wouldn't be here for another fifteen minutes. I took a seat on the bench, setting my backpack beside

As I sat there, I realized how quiet it all was. The streets were just beginning to wake up. A bakery across the street was flipping its "Closed" sign to "Open," and a few early risers were walking their dogs, bundled up in jackets against the chill. It was peaceful, and yet, I felt a restlessness growing inside me . This was it. My last few moments of being a kid before everything changed.

I took out my phone again, scrolling through messages from friends who were already at school. Some were full of excitement, others filled with nerves. I felt a little bit of both. I thought about my mother's words, especially the part about not losing myself. What did that even mean? I wasn't sure i knew who I was yet, so how could I lose it?

The sound of a bus approaching pulled me from my thoughts. It wasn't my bus—just a local one, but it made me sit up straighter, suddenly more aware of the ticking clock. Soon, I'd be boarding a bus that would take me to the next chapter of my life, and that thought both thrilled and terrified me

As I sat waiting, my mind drifted back to the conversation with my mom. Her advice had been simple, but the weight of her words grew heavier the more I thought about them. She had been through this, he realized. She knew what it was like to leave home, to step into the unknown. Maybe that was why she had been so calm, so sure that everything would work out for me .
I  wasn't as sure, but Iwanted to be.

Finally, my bus appeared, coming around the corner with a low rumble. I stood, slinging my backpack over my shoulder. I took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill my lungs, and watched the bus pull up to the curb.

This was it.

I climbed aboard, the bus driver giving him a brief nod as he scanned my ticket. The bus was nearly empty, and I slid into a window seat. As the bus pulled away from the stop, I watched the world outside move past, the cityscape shifting and changing. I thought of my mom again, of her smile as she stood in the doorway that morning, waving goodbye.

I reached into my backpack, pulling out the small journal she'd given me before i left.

*"To record your adventures,"* she had said with a wink.

I opened it to the first page, staring at the blank lines, feeling the weight of all the stories I hadn't yet lived. I clicked my pen open, hovering over the page for a moment. Then, slowly, I began to write:

*"On the day I left for university, my mom told me not to lose myself..."*

The bus rumbled on, taking me toward a future that was both uncertain and full of possibility.