Safer - Ben Cook - Sky Flaherty

I know that I have issues, I face them I swear

I know that I have issues, I face them I swear

I was 16 years old when I decided to move to New York City after I graduated high school. My friend Tony was two years older than me and had already been accepted into Tisch. When I told him my plan to move he loved and said I could move in with him. Instead of staying on campus Tony bought an old dance studio that had been on the top floor of a warehouse. He converted half of it to living space and left the other half as it was.

I applied to early applications to NYU for musical theater and had gotten accepted. We were supposed to move in late august but here I was, the day after my high school graduation, boarding a plane to the city that never sleeps.

"Do you have your boarding pass?" My mother asked me for the millionth time.

"Mom, I'll be fine."

"I know you will sweetie. It just makes me nervous, picturing you in that crowded city."

"Our daughter thrives off other people's energy Marne, she'll do fine." My dad puts his arm around my mother's shoulders and nods at me. "Have a good time Sage. We'll see you at parent's weekend."

"Bye. I love you guys." I give them both one last hug and then go through security. I head to my gate and sit down. I set my backpack down on the seat next to me and pull out the guidebook Tony sent to me about Manhattan.

"2A is now boarding to Manhattan, I repeat, section 2A is now boarding." The flight attendant calls over the intercom. I look down at my boarding pass and get up. The flight attendant scans my ticket and I board the plane and find my seat.

Goodbye California and hello Manhattan.

"Welcome to the Island of Manhattan!" Tony yells when I see him at baggage claim. He runs over to me and picks me up in a hug and spins me around.

"Tony!" I laugh. "Set me down, people are staring!"

"Get used to it. Everybody stares at everybody here. You're going to have to lose your small town mentality. I've missed your weirdness" He sets me down and pulls me into a hug. "Now let's get your bags and go home."

"Wow." I breathe when Tony pushes open the door to his - sorry, our - apartment. "This is like every musical nerds dream.

Mirrors ran along all of the walls. Ballet barres were nailed to the wall and there was one lone barre in the middle of the marley floors. There was a piano pushed up against one wall and bookshelves filled with sheet music on either side. Tony had somehow found a set of lockers and had covered them with dance magnets and bumper stickers. There was smooth plywood leaning against a wall for tap dancing and a bench to sit on. In the living space there was a small round wood table with mismatched chairs surrounding it. A small kitchen lay beyond that and a bathroom to the left of the door. There were curtains dividing my room from his. When I walked into the room that was mine the first thing I noticed was the bed. It was queen sized and had a white metal clam shell headboard that Tony had wound with silver and gold fairy lights.

"Do you like it?" Tony comes up behind me.

"I love it! How did you find this place and all this stuff?" I spin around and flop down on the bed.

"New York city is bursting at the seems with thrift stores and vintage stores. Which reminds me." He walks over to a gorgeous antique wardrobe and pulls the double doors open. Hanging up, are beautiful dresses, some gowns, some sundresses, some professional, some cocktail, but the one thing they all share is that they're all vintage.

"Tony!" I exclaim. "You shouldn't have."

"But I did." He smirks. "You get to decide who you are now, you, not your parents. And what better way to do than with an all new wardrobe!" He comes over and sits down next to me. "I know what these Manhattan boys are like. Ever since Kendall and I broke up, God only knows I've had my share of them."

"Aw honey, it was for the best. He's a year older than you and at Harvard to become a doctor and you came to Tisch to study music."

"And you're at Tisch studying musical theater!" Tony jumps and offers me his hand. "No more moping, we're going out tonight!"

"I have an audition tomorrow." I protest.

"This is your first night in New York without your parents and you want to stay home? Nonsense! Stand-up, get a party dress on, and pack your dancing shoes, because we are going clubbing and I won't take no for an answer." He pulls me and spins me towards the wardrobe. "Wear the tight green one, it will bring out your eyes." And with that he bounces out of my room and into his.

I shake my and laugh at him. Walking over to the wardrobe I see the dress that Tony had been talking about. It was very tight. And very short. It was a pretty shade of green though. I shake my head. 'You're in New York City Sage, live a little.' I bit my lip and pull out the green dress. I manage to tame my frizzy long brown hair and put a little bit of makeup on. I look at the selection of shoes Tony had acquired for me and end up wearing green velvet pumps, that bring my usual short height to 5'7". Alright Sage, you've got this. I look at myself in the mirror and do a double take, I look nothing like myself. I grab a clutch and leave my room and head into the main apartment.

Tony is wearing a deep red button up and dark blue jeans. He slides into his converse and offers me his arm.

"Let's go." He grins. I gran back and place my hand in his.