Chapter Text
April 7th, 2027
"Yes, Mom. I have everything, I promise."
You adjusted the strap of your duffel bag, the worn canvas digging into your shoulder as you glanced around the crowded airport. The terminal pulsed with life around you. Suitcases rolled across gleaming tile floors in uneven rhythms, their wheels clicking over the seams between the marble. Boarding announcements crackled overhead, names of distant cities bleeding together beneath the constant hum of conversation. Somewhere nearby, an espresso machine hissed to life, filling the air with the rich scent of roasted coffee that barely masked the sharp, sterile smell of disinfectant.
Your mother barely seemed to notice any of it. Her attention hadn't left you once.
"Well, I'm just making sure, honey. You're going to be so far from home, and—"
"And if I forget something, I can't just come back and get it." You offered her a tired smile. "I know."
For the last ten minutes, she'd found something new to worry about. Your charger. Your wallet. Whether you'd packed enough socks or jeans. At one point, she'd asked if you remembered your passport before remembering, herself, that New York wasn't another country.
You knew she meant well. She always did.
But every passing minute felt like another thread tying you to a place you'd spent years trying to outgrow. Texas had never been a bad place. It just had never felt like your place. Your hometown was the kind where everyone knew your name before you had the chance to introduce yourself, where every mistake became tomorrow's gossip and every success somehow belonged to everyone else. Nothing stayed private.
It was, truly, exhausting.
Then, six weeks ago, an email had landed in your inbox.
An internship offer.
One of New York City's biggest fashion houses wanted you.
You'd accepted before you'd given yourself the chance to second-guess it.
Now, everything you owned fit inside two suitcases and a duffel bag. You'd be lying if you said the thought of it didn't excite you. There was something exhilarating about leaving everything familiar behind. Refreshing, even.
Your apartment waiting for you in Queens wasn't much to look at. The owner had told you it had originally been used as storage space before being renovated into a small one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. It was modest, with a tiny living room and an even smaller kitchen, but it was more than enough for you. For the first time, every square inch of the place would be yours. No siblings pounding on your bedroom door. No parents reminding you where you were supposed to be. Just you, finally living exactly the way you wanted.
"Well..." You cleared your throat. "I'd better get going, or I'm going to miss my flight."
Your mother's smile faltered. She'd wanted everyone to come. Your dad, your siblings, even your aunt had insisted she should be there. Thankfully, you'd managed to talk them out of it. One emotional goodbye at the front door had been enough.
"I just..." Her voice softened. "I'm going to miss you, Y/N. We all are."
"I know." You smiled, small but genuine. "I'll miss you guys too."
And you would. You just weren't the type to cry over it.
Growing up, you'd always been stubborn. Fiercely independent, with no problem pushing against every expectation your family had of you. Leaving home wasn't something that scared you. If anything, it felt like the first real step toward becoming the person you'd always wanted to be.
Without another word, your mother stepped forward and wrapped her arms around you.
You let her hold you for a few quiet seconds, breathing in the familiar scent of her perfume, before she finally stepped back, blinking away the tears threatening to spill.
"I really have to go, Mom."
"I know." She laughed shakily. "Just... call me if you need anything. Anything. I don't care if it's three in the morning."
"I will."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
She nodded, though it looked more like she was trying to convince herself.
You offered one last smile before turning toward the security checkpoint. The automatic doors slid open with a soft hiss as another wave of travelers poured into the terminal, carrying the familiar chaos of the airport with them. Somewhere overhead, another boarding announcement echoed through the building.
"Flight 247 to New York City is now boarding..."
It was a brand-new day, and you were going to New York.