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Chapter One: Reconnections

1 Month Later

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I just settled into my apartment, and I was dying to host a house-warming party. Even though I don't know anybody here. And sure, I don't really have a bunch of furniture. Or, maybe any furniture besides a mattress on the floor... But, I was so happy with my move. 

Chicago is beautiful. Dare I say better than LA ever was. 

No, it didn't have the palm trees, and yes it is colder than LA ever could be, but the charm that enveloped me the second I stepped out of the airport and into the city told me that I'd made the right decision. And you know what? I owe it to Sasha, the woman who gave me my interview a month ago. 

My mom came to move me in here, and she was absolutely thrilled for me. Hopefully her and I can live near each other soon. It's terrifying to look at her nowadays and be reminded that she's aging. Of course she is as beautiful as ever, but it's impossible to deny that she's slower than she once was, and she's not as youthful as she used to be just 10 years ago. It hurts my heart, but it also makes me happy that she's doing so well. She's only 57 now, and I know she's still got a long way to go. 

I was unpacking some more boxes, and my first day at work would be in about a week. So I really have to start settling in and making this place a home. 

It was an absolutely stunning space. 

The entire floor is a deep colored hard wood, panning everywhere from the entrance to the kitchen to the living room. It was one of my favorite parts about the place. It's an open concept apartment with two bedrooms that are tucked away in a hallway. But the main living area is just huge. The entire left side of my apartment is a huge window. No walls on that side, just absolute floor to ceiling windows. 

My jaw still drops when I look out of them, onto the entire city, feeling so high up that I can see all of the building lights and cars speeding by at night. 

I am so so grateful to afford something like this. 

Though technically, I'm not paying for a single penny of rent. Which is crazy to think. I can't believe I landed this job and it almost all feels too good to be true. 

I sighed contently. Maybe I don't deserve this but I have it, don't I? And I should make the most of the moment I'm living in. I nodded my head, "Okay, come on." I told myself, beginning to lock in all my attention and focus to unpacking. And I spent pretty much the entire week doing that. 

Just opening boxes, and assembling furniture, and building things that I wish a little girl like me didn't have to build. But firstly I don't have a man to help me and secondly I don't need one. It would be nice, but I can do it myself. 

And that was my motivation as I sat there screwing together my couch and breaking a sweat when I set up my dining table. 

Exhausted by the time it was the weekend, I'd successfully set things up. 

It wasn't perfect yet, but it finally started feeling more me. 

I got in the shower, rinsing off the day, and easing my nerves for my first day at work tomorrow. 

Then, I got ready for bed, and called it a night. 

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I was currently sitting in a conference room, at my new place of work, surrounded by who I think are also a bunch of newcomers. We all had lanyards with our new work ID's on them hanging around our necks.