unplanned destinies

1 | departure of doubt

Before Dubai, I was barely holding it together.

The past few months had been a blur of castings, shoots, and runway shows. My career was skyrocketing, faster than I could catch my breath. New York, Milan, Paris each city more glamorous than the last, but none of it felt like I imagined it would. I thought success would feel like freedom, but instead, every achievement just added weight. And most of that weight came in the form of Kye, my boyfriend.

The fights started out small jealous comments here and there about my time on set or the way people looked at me in public. But as my career took off, his insecurities grew into something darker. I had tried to make excuses for him, telling myself that it was normal for him to feel threatened. It wasn't easy dating someone in this industry, especially when my schedule was packed and he was always left behind. But what I didn't want to admit was that I was starting to feel trapped.

The night before I left for Dubai, we had another fight. I had just finished a shoot in LA, and instead of celebrating, Kye was waiting for me in the car, fuming. The moment I slid into the passenger seat, I could feel the tension. I didn't even get a "how was your day" or a kiss on the cheek just a question I had heard too many times before.

"Who was that guy? The one you were standing next to?"

I closed my eyes for a second, exhausted. "Kye, he's the photographer. We've been over this. It's just work."

But nothing I said ever seemed to be enough. He would fixate on details that didn't matter, blowing them up into accusations that left me feeling guilty for no reason. That night, I stared out the window as he drove, feeling the familiar ache in my chest. I was tired of defending myself, tired of trying to prove my loyalty, tired of feeling like no matter what I did, it was never enough.

By the time we pulled up to our apartment, the fight had spiraled out of control. His voice was loud, cutting through the quiet of the night, while I sat in silence, tears threatening to spill. I didn't want to cry in front of him again. I didn't want him to see how much he was getting to me.

"Why do you always do this, Sienna? Why do you make me feel like I'm nothing?"

I didn't answer. I couldn't. The words stuck in my throat. Instead, I just grabbed my bag and got out of the car. I didn't look back as I walked into the building.

When I woke up the next morning,there lay kye, asleep. i didn't dare wake him up. there was a knot in my stomach. I was about to fly halfway across the world for a shoot that could define my career. Dubai was everything I had worked for. But all I could think about was Kye what he would say, how he would react to me leaving again. Part of me was scared he would show up and cause another scene. Another part of me almost wished he wouldn't say anything at all. Maybe then I could finally breathe.

I packed my bags in silence, the early morning light casting shadows across my room. As I folded my clothes, I tried to push the anxiety down, to remind myself why I was doing this. This was my dream. I had worked so hard to get here. I couldn't let Kye take that away from me.

But by the time I got into the car and started the drive to the airport, doubt was creeping in. The streets were still quiet, the sun just beginning to rise. It felt surreal like I was caught between two worlds. One part of me was excited, ready to take on the opportunity waiting for me in Dubai. The other part of me was dreading what would happen when I returned.

My phone buzzed on the seat next to me, and I glanced at the screen. It was Kye. I debated not answering, but my hand moved on its own, picking up the phone and pressing it to my ear.

"Hey."

"Hey," his voice was softer than last night, almost apologetic. "You're really going, huh?"

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Yeah. I'm on my way to the airport now."

There was a long pause, and I could hear him sigh. "I just... I don't know, Sienna. I feel like I'm losing you."

I bit my lip, my fingers gripping the steering wheel. "You're not losing me, Kye. This is just... my job."

"But it's not just your job. It's everything now. You're always traveling, always working. What about us?"

I didn't have an answer for him. Not one that would make sense to him, at least. The truth was, I didn't know what was happening to us either. It felt like the more I tried to hold onto my dreams, the more I was slipping away from him. But was that really my fault?

"I'll call you when I land," I said, trying to end the conversation before it spiraled again.

"Yeah," he muttered, his tone distant. "I'll be here."

As I pulled up to the terminal, the weight of everything hit me. I wasn't just leaving for Dubai. I was leaving the constant pressure of Kye's demands, his jealousy, his need for control. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was doing something for me.

I took a deep breath as I grabbed my suitcase and headed inside. The airport was bustling, filled with people heading to their own destinations. For a moment, I felt a flicker of excitement again. This was what I had worked so hard for. This was my moment.

But as I boarded the plane, I couldn't shake the feeling that no matter how far I went, I couldn't outrun Kye. He would still be there, waiting for me, with all his accusations and insecurities. And no matter what, I knew that this trip to Dubai wasn't going to be the escape I hoped it would be.

Still, as the plane took off, I looked out the window and let myself dream just for a moment that maybe, just maybe, things could be different this time. Maybe I could finally find myself again, somewhere between the luxury of Dubai and the career I had always wanted.

But deep down, I knew it was only a matter of time before everything caught up with me again.