Independent Girl | ONGOING

Chapter 1

A year and a half ago..

I just graduated from highschool when I choosed to leave,much to my parents dismay. But I can't take it anymore. I had to leave. There was nothing I could do in my hometown. I got no real friend. I got nothing. I didn't see that I could have a good future if I stayed. I didn't see I could be a better version of myself if I didn't leave.
Thankfully, my parents saw the determination in my eyes. And they gave me their blessings. From where I came from, its unusual for a girl my age to leave to another continent by herself. I broke the norm. But who cares ? They've done nothing good when I was there. They've done nothing but broke my trust for people. So let them talk, that's all they could do.
Some of my old friends thought that I followed my ex-boyfriend. But let them think that way, I don't have any responsibility to explain things to those who doesn't even want to hear the truth.
But let me clarify it to you, I didn't follow my ex-boyfriend here. My old friends might have a closed mind. They might thought that the US only have one state. While obviously it doesn't. People didn't just name it United States, with a S, if its only have one state. The S in States means its plural. I would tell them that if they were still my friends. If they didn't make my highschool years miserable.
The plane just landed in John F. Kennedy airport, New York. It was 5 AM which means in my homeland it was 5 PM. I called my mother while waiting for 6, that's when the aparment's owner will pick me up. Yes, she picked me up. Because she was interested in how I decided to leave my life behind to pursue a hopefully better life. She admitted she had done the same, 30 years ago. She said she didn't want me to feel completely alone so she would done her best to help me here. She was such a nice lady, at least on the phone.
I missed my mom but she said she had to go and she would call me soon. We bid our goodbyes. And I waited for the lady to pick me up.
I expected to be picked up by a middle aged woman. But I clearly didn't expect to be picked up by a boy around my age. He was holding a big big sign where my name was written.
I opened my phone to call Mrs.Clarke, the landlady (landlord & landlady:3 ) but she beat me. She called and apologized that she couldn't come because her daughter fell ill. And she was on the other side of the city. She told me she asked my apartment neighbour to pick me up and show me around the town. And his name was Ferdinand. He was a student of Ivy League. And I immediately liked him. He achived the goal I wanted to achive myself.
I walked to him and held my hand out. Excepting to be shook. But instead, he pulled me into a hug. It was kind of awkward at first. Because I'm not used to that kind of affection. Not from where I came from. But I hugged him back nevertheless.
He told me Mrs.Clarke told him about what I did, taking over the control of my life. And he said he was proud of me. I was confused but later, I found out he was majoring in my homeland studies. No wonder he knew a lot about my culture.
We drove in anything but silent. And I knew that we would get along and be buddies. Not a bad start , right?