Today, Tomorrow, Forever

Chapter 2: Memoirs from home

As she exited the airport, Elle forgot all about her life back home. Something new, unexplored, in a way exotic, was awaiting her here. 

She smiled. Lately, she's been experiencing an acute sense of ambitious enthusiasm, that arose from the need for a change of setting in her life: she dreamed about a new scenery - unfamiliar people, different acquaintances, original sensations, peculiar ordeals... Now that she was finally here, she knew it was real - she was a step closer to her dream of a changed life. 

She looked around: everywhere people were busy, life was taking its course: stewardesses running errands before their flights, travelers rushing about the 'duty-free' before their departures, or anxiously checking in their luggage and examining their bags before their journey. Some, were just like her, leaving the airport, walking over to the taxi station, or looking for a bus to pick them up. 

She waited. Her taxi arrived. 

"Queen's College, please."

"Yes, ma'am."

Silence has followed.

On the way there, she thought about home for the first time. She wondered how different this school would be to that in Ukraine. She has never changed schools before. This experience was absolutely foreign to her, and for the first time since she stepped on the plane, she realized that she had no idea what to expect: Would people here accept her? Would she find friends? How much would her 'day-to-day' vary? What would the teachers be like? And the lessons? Her thoughts were racing. Somehow, she hasn't thought of all these obvious things before. She was so thrilled to come here that she hasn't once stopped to think about what to expect. 

And even though all these questions popped up so suddenly, she didn't want to have to consider them - they terrified her. It seemed to her she already knew all the answers, and yet, the uncertainty was still there.

'Everyone finds their way.' - she thought, tossing her thoughts aside. - 'Children change schools all the time. It's not uncommon. I will be fine, I'll figure it out, just like everyone else does.'

And so, she sat in silence, looking out of the window. Her thoughts kept scrambling, her emotions were getting out of hand. After all, she really didn't know how she's meant to be feeling. 

She laid back remembering her departure this morning, recalling every detail of it to distract herself. 

She had to wake up at some ridiculous time that day, to make sure she was on time setting off to the airport. She hated waking up early but that day it didn't bother her. The night before, adrenaline kicked in: she was way too overjoyed to care about all the little details: wake up times, packing, checking bags... All this didn't matter, it seemed so insignificant to her, it wasn't worth committing an effort to or feeling some type of way about it. Bigger things were coming...

Once at the airport, she saw them: three of her best friends were already there: they came early to buy balloons, flowers, and snacks before she got there, and now, they stood, waiting. Despite knowing that they were about to part, for a long time, maybe forever, who knows, everyone was ecstatic. Just as Elle, they felt jubilant, contented, and merry - they were way too delighted to see their friend Elle get a step closer to her dream, to endure the sorrow of their sacrifice - losing a friend to her own desire. 

They followed her as far as they were allowed to, given that they were to stay behind. Even when passing through the gate, which would separate her from her friends, Elle felt happy: a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction overflowed her as she turned around to look at her friends before they disappeared behind a shutting door. 

And then, as the door closed behind her, she realized that a fresh start was hers for the taking. She learned that she had to give up her life as she knew it to get a new one, a better one: she's outgrown this lifestyle, and leaving was a means to starting over.  She knew that whatever she was going to face, she was ready for. 

'A new chapter has to begin sometime, somewhere... No one else can start fresh for me, I am on my own here.' - she thought. - 'This is my time to make it happen. And I'm here for it.'

And so, she took a deep breath and stepped into a new beginning, believing in her capacity to do great things, believing that no mountain was too high for her to climb, no storm too great to weather. At that moment, Elle believed she was unstoppable, relentless, irrepressible, she believed in herself... She stepped through to the new chapter of her life. 

A new mindset pursued her.