(✓) 𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞 • [𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒚]

eighteen.

The summer passes way too quickly. It feels like a blur of bonfires, pool parties, and roadtrips. I spend most of my time with Harlow, Corbyn, and Jack. I wouldn't mind hanging out with all of the guys, but it feels weird inviting the whole group minus one—Daniel.

He seems to have pretty much disappeared off the face of the Earth for the last few months. His social media has been completely silent, not that I've checked more than once or twice (or three times). I don't ask the guys about him, and they don't tell me.

I've mostly moved on from the whole thing by this point, but it still feels so unresolved. I haven't talked to Daniel since the funeral.

Anyway, I've got more important things to focus on right now. Today, I'm flying to New York to start my new life. I pick up one last item to pack in my suitcase: a framed selfie of me and my dad from one of our million surfing trips. I stroke his face, missing him intensely.

"Hey, are you almost ready?" Rory peeks her head into my room, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yeah, I'll be down in a sec," I reply.

I zip up my bags and place them by my door. I take a moment to observe my room one last time before come back for Thanksgiving. I know I'll miss the comfort of home, but I'm even more excited for a fresh, new start.

With one final deep breath, I take my bags downstairs. My mom and Rory help me load them into the car. We hurry on our way to make sure I don't miss my flight.

We're mostly silent on the way to the airport because none of us are good at goodbyes. I'm sure my mom is trying to avoid the thought that we'll be separated for the first time ever in just a few minutes.

My mom decides to park the car instead of dropping me off, hoping to prolong the inevitable. Her and my sister walk me all the way to the line for security checks, where we stand teary-eyed.

The three of us embrace for what feels like forever.

"I'm so proud of you, Aspen," my mom says shakily. "You're going to do so great."

"I'm gonna miss you, sister," Rory trembles.

"I'm gonna miss you, too," I reply, launching into another tear-filled embrace.

This is what I was dreading most. It's hard enough leaving my friends behind, but my family is everything to me. Through the good times and bad, we lean on each other. I start to feel a twinge of regret for moving across the country, but it's too late to turn back.

"We'll always be with you here," my mom points to my heart. "All of us, especially your dad."

"I love you guys so much," I sniffle. We hug one more time before I make my way to my flight.

Goodbye, L.A.

Hello, New York.

•••

I shut the door to the taxi and pull out my massive suitcases from the trunk with no help from the driver. Welcome to New York, I guess.

Students swarm around me in the rush of move-in day. In the madness, I just stare up at the building that I'm going to be calling home for the next year. It looks about ten stories high, but the buildings around it make it feel much smaller.

I head inside and check in with the desk. Luckily, the process to get my key is quick, and I can hopefully get a nap. On the way up the elevator, I wonder whether my two roommates have arrived. We talked a bit online last week, but I don't really know much about either of them. I think they'll be cool, though.