Ugly ☼ J .Gilinsky [ EDITING ]

Prologue

She loved him more than anything, but would her love be enough to keep him?

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Araceli

College. It either makes you or breaks you. This is where life kicks off and you get thrown into adulthood, out in the real world. Some choose to stay close to home but if you're like me, moving nine hundred miles away from home sounded like a better gig. 

A fresh start in a new state with new faces and new scenery. 

I was questioned thoroughly for months if this is what I absolutely wanted to do because who in their right mind would have University of Nebraska Omaha as a top pick. "You couldn't have at least chosen New York? California? Even Florida for crying out loud. Why would you pick the most downright boring state to go to college? You're from Texas! Home to plenty top rated universities. What are you thinking?" My mother would argue with me for months on end about my decision and it'd always have the same outcome; her storming out the room crying and ignoring me for days.

I'm from Houston, Texas and don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my state and Texas is home to many amazing colleges but it's just not for me. Now don't ask me where I got the idea to move to Nebraska from because I can't even give an answer to that one. I just don't want to live in a mainstream city or attend a highly rated university. Yes, it would be an amazing experience attending Texas A&M or UT at Austin, and not to mention way cheaper with in state tuition, but I just want out. 

My mind has been set on Nebraska since the beginning of senior year and there was absolutely no changing my mind on it. Something about it just screams to me and I can't quite put my finger on what.

I graduated top ten percent of my class and every single person gave me strange looks when I told them I was going to Nebraska for school. Most got accepted to A&M and University of Houston, the valedictorian even got accepted in to Harvard. As a matter of fact, all of them got accepted in to at least four or more top rated universities in the country, while I on the other hand, only applied to the one. Naturally, everyone was confused but I don't care, my mind has been made up.

When I was fifteen, my father passed away in a tragic accident at work and my family received a huge check from the company, plus his life insurance payout was a pretty penny so my sister and I are absolutely set for a good ten years at least. Plus, my mother still receives checks from the company monthly to ensure she doesn't go through with suing them. The payout money was split evenly between the three of us, mine and my sister's share going in a trust fund for when we started college. With the money received monthly, my mom gives it to my sister and I to do whatever we please with. 

Despite my mom being so against her oldest daughter moving to a different state at such a young age, after graduation, we flew to Nebraska and she helped me pick out the perfect apartment. I would have moved in sooner but my mother insisted on me staying for one last summer before I go and start my new life so naturally, I had to.

I'm going to miss my mother and sister deeply but I am very excited to start this new chapter in my life, it is very much needed and I couldn't be happier.

With moving day less than a month away, I had lots to prepare for. My apartment is already fully furnished, I took care of that in our visit at the beginning of summer but I made a list of all the things I would need such as pots, pans, towels, sheets, you know, the essentials. I bought all of this stuff throughout the summer but I check my list weekly to make sure that I'm not missing anything. The only thing I would need to purchase when I get there is groceries.

"You're going to stress yourself with all that worrying," I hear a voice from behind me. I turn to see my mother leaning with her arms crossed against the doorframe to my bedroom. "You have everything you need, Araceli. Stop worrying, you've got this." She walks over and takes the list from my hands. "Don't worry, I will look over your list once more but after that, you need to relax. The summer is coming to an end, go spend time with your sister and enjoy your last few weeks before adulthood."

I sigh and run my hands through my hair. "I know, I know, I just want to make sure everything's in order before I leave. I would hate to get there and be stressing because I forgot spatulas."

She laughs and shakes her head. "You're just like your father, always letting your mind run a thousand miles a minute. He's so proud of you, and so am I. I know I have given you a very hard time about this move but I've never been without you, it's always been you and I since you were a baby. And now, without your dad here as well, I don't know how my heart will handle the emptiness without you."

 "I'm not going away forever mom," I spoke softly with tears threatening to pour any second. Talking about my dad is always such a sore subject for me, always. Good and bad, it never gets easier and hearing my mom talk about how empty she will be without me after losing my dad, just breaks my heart. I don't want to leave her, I just want to leave the place where it all happened. "I'll come back and visit during breaks and I promise every holiday will be spent back home with you and Angie. It's not goodbye, just I'll see you later. I'm always a phone call away, or better yet, a flight away."

She wipes away a single tear and looks down at the list. "Well, I'm going to look this over for you. Go with your sister, I got it from here."