THE CALM STORM

1

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A new beginning of my life was what I was looking for moving into the city of Chicago. Yes it was cold as hell and very dangerous but you only live once right.
I have only been in Chicago for one week so far and I love it already. The big city, the great food, and loud music people played riding pass. Even though I had a lot of this back home in Philadelphia, it was just something about making a big move by yourself, going to a place unknown and still thriving on your own.

Not like I had anyone to thrive with back home. I was an orphan raised by my aunt who couldn't have kids nor did she want them. That didn't stop her from taking custody of her sister's child. She still took care of me and gave me the best advice she could.
"Fuck everything and everyone, live life the way you want to." She would always say. My aunt was a free spirit, which made me one too. I wish she could see me now, how I didn't anticipate moving to Chicago, I just did it and now I feel freaking great. I know she would've loved this for me, God I just wish I could talk to her again. My aunt passed away last year, she had Alzheimer disease, it was a very rough and sad time, seeing my aunt, no my mother go through that. I ended up getting a small tattoo of her name on my wrist. I know it's corny but every time I look at her name it makes me feel like I'm not alone and at least someone has my back always.

Elora

My fingers lightly grazed over the ink on my skin. Such a pretty name.

So far my new beginning was going great, I worked at a hospital as a clinical nurse specialist. I worked hard to get where I am at right now, only being twenty two. I loved my job and I loved my checks even more. I get to work with a lot of kids and babies who are the sweetest ever, and somehow always seem to brighten up my day.

Right now I am staying in a luxury apartment, luckily back home I looked up places that I could rent out so I wouldn't have to rush and find a place when I got here. My apartment was just right for me, it was cozy and it had a lot of room and don't get me started on the kitchen. I enjoyed cooking, it was one of my favorite hobbies, experimenting with new things was what I loved the most.

I just finished setting up my place, I hung a big picture of me and my aunt on the wall. This was slowly but surely coming together. I wanted my place to be relaxing, so I put some plants and my favorite scented candle in different places of my home. I got all my new furniture today which was soft and too comfy for it's own good.

As much as I wanted to stay in today and appreciate my new home, I had things to do tonight. Surprisingly I had an old friend from highschool who stayed down here, her name is Amaya.
Amaya and I weren't the bestest of friends but we were good friends. Back when we were in school Amaya got into fights a lot. Other kids would bully her because she was mixed, a lot of kids thought she was soft, being black and Italian. Everyone thought she was weird and so did I until one day I had to sit next to her on the bus and we just started talking like kids do then me and Amaya started being friends ever since that.
Amaya had called me, still somehow remembering my number and said saw me in a store but wasn't too sure if it was the Mali that she knew. Anyway, she and I talked for hours catching up and before we were about to end the call she invited me to her wedding and her party before the wedding. My jaw dropped when I got the news, my friend Amaya had gotten herself a rich business man.
So of course I couldn't say no. Tonight was her party before the wedding and I was up and ready to go.