ONE DAY [ MATHEW BARZAL ]

- fourteen hours -

A deep sigh escapes my lips when I look at the time. 09:32 it reads. Fourteen hours left in the city before I leave for good.

I don't want to leave, I love living in the city of New York. It's a vibrant and exciting city, I have lived here since the day I was born and now I am leaving it with a heavy heart. My heart aches to go but I am doing the right thing, I think... No, I am! I have always wanted to go to the Ruskin School of Art in England, I have dreamed of this moment forever and now I am a fourteen hours away from starting a new chapter in my life. It is a bittersweet moment, I am excited to start a brand new life in another country but I also sad to be leaving my family and the place I have spent twenty-one years of my life in.

My eyes travel around my old room, it is bare and quite eerie to look at. All my clothes are packed into my suitcases, I let my parents sell most of my belongings that I couldn't bring with me to England. I am bringing the bare minimum with me so I can start afresh.

My phone goes off and I check it, I see my friends are making their way to the coffee shop already. As it is my last day in the city of New York, I want nothing more to do than spend it with my friends remembering the best things about living here. It'll be tough to say goodbye to everyone, but I'll be back.

I quickly respond back that I am on my way before leaving my bedroom one last time. I take one last look at it, tears coming to my eyes when I realise this is it, that today is the day I am going but I wipe away the tears and leave. My parents are already awake and eating breakfast, they turn to me when I enter the living room.

"You ready darling?" My father asks, his eyes slowly lifting up from the newspaper he reads.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I tell with a sad smile on my lips. Both my parents smile sadly back to me, while they try to put on a brave face they are worried to see their only daughter going abroad for three years alone in another country. I'm trying not to think of that, going abroad by myself to a country I have only visited a few times before. It's scary, but I am up for the challenge that lies ahead of me.

"Where are you off to?" My mother wonders as she watches me.

I turn to look at her while I slip into my shoes. "Austin messaged me, everyone is on their way to meet up at the coffee shop for breakfast so I'm going to go say goodbye to them all." I tell standing up once I finished tying my laces.

"OK, remember, your flight is at midnight so be home for eight o'clock at the latest." My mother calls out to me. I call back to them I know before I leave my house.

I ride the subway to the coffee shop my friends and I always go to. It is hard to believe this is my last day in New York, I wish I had more time to say goodbye and enjoy my last day by doing everything I want, but fourteen hours is enough to get everything in order before I travel.

I make it to the coffee shop with a smile on my face, I am excited to see everyone but the lingering sadness of not being able to see them again for a long time is in the back of my thoughts. I enter the shop and spot my group of friends in our usual spot; my eyes seem to linger of a dark haired male I have never seen before. He sits in between Austin and Lily, his hazel eyes focused on the blue sky outside. He is pretty handsome, the way the sunlight hits his face highlights all the right features of him making him stand out as the handsomest male in the shop.

Austin spots me as I near the group. "Reid, get over here!" He calls out to me.

I take my eyes off the dark haired male and onto Austin, I let my smile grow as I near everyone. "Hey guys." I say when I get to the table. Everyone smiles back and greets me, but I know they are making their sadness about me leaving just like I am.