What I Expect

My First Day

So my grandparents were asylum seekers (I'm 3rd generation immigrant to the UK) and I looked up some more modern stuff too, talking to friends who've immigrated. Damn, border controls have gotten so much stricter like holy shit, even with technological advancements making things easer to log and detect they've toughened their stance on it too. So I apologise if I got anything inaccurate with Marik's move.
Cover Artist Credit: YuuGiOKaeri

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The screeching noise drilling into my eardrums, my body thrown against the wall, head slamming against the thick glass of the window. I gasp, propelled from my seat and slammed forward carelessly like an animal in a slaughterhouse. My vision blurs for a minute before adjusting. I look into the white of the ceiling and hear two loud, long beeps. "Passengers, we have landed in Domino City, New York," from a polite female voice. Everyone around me claps happily and, still shaken from what I must assume is an ordinary landing, I awkwardly, quietly clap too. The people sat next to me stare awkwardly at me, I just now realise they're there, having squeezed my eyes closed for the entire terrifying flight. The plane starts to empty and I grab the small bag I have with me - that's all my luggage is - and walk off.

My passport is scanned, my documents read. I'm led into Customs where for two hours they interrogate me about my status as a student and my VISA, which states I'm not even allowed to work until I apply for something else - I can't pay my way even as a full time student. They seem overly suspicious, I guess it's unusual to move to a new country with nothing but a small wallet, pictures of my family, my phone (and charger) and some jewellery. Since I have such a tiny bag they ask where I'll be staying while I'm studying at Domino University. I tell them with my brother Rishid and they call him to confirm. He does, even though I won't be staying with him. It took hours of begging on the phone for him to claim I was staying with him to get me into the country, but made it very clear he doesn't want anything to do with me. Once that's all confirmed the border officer, rather begrudgingly tells me "Welcome to America, Mr Ishtar," and I think him with a straight, confused face.

I leave the airport and begin to walk. Where am I going? Nowhere as it happens. I mean, I'm headed for the university. I just hope they have a 24-hour open campus. And showers in the gym, damn I need to clean myself. I thought I'd sleep on the plane but I was so scared, so now I'm exhausted, dirty and homeless in a country I know nothing about with 200 MB data on my phone and $15 in my wallet. I stick in my earbuds, go into Spotify with my data and play Avril Levine. 

Eventually I reach the Campus using  the shitty map they sent to Egypt in their welcome pack. It's in an older area full of tenements and take away shops and a Main Street lined in Chinese and Italian restaurants. At least they celebrate other cultures here more than Egypt does. There's a chill in the air, wind whipping around my sleeveless top. I seek refuge in what they call Goodwill - a second-hand clothes shop - and buy a new (to me) coat and scarf. The employee is polite and smiles at me, and I smile back.

Coming out I step onto the street to cross towards the main university building when a small car screeches past me. I gasp and fall back, landing harshly on the pavement. I look up in frantic shock at my assailant, a gold - yes, gold! - BMW. From the passenger side emerges a short person a little younger than I am. "Are you okay?" They ask me kindly, running over and holding out their hand. I take it and they haul me up.

"Yeah, sorry," I shrug.

"Are you sure? I can take you to the campus doctor!" They assure, face full of sympathetic worry. They're smaller than me by a lot actually, but their spiked black hair with purple tips makes them look taller. A blonde fringe falls around their round face from which shine bright violet eyes. Hey, they're the same colour as mine.