Raquella hugged her dad for the hundredth time after standing beside him for what felt like forever. She didn't want to let go, knowing she wouldn't see him until summer break.
"Aww, Dad… you can drag me back home now. I won't protest. I don't want to go to college anymore," she whined, her voice trembling just a little.
Mr. Hudson, Raquella's father, laughed at his daughter's puppy-like complaints. "You've always been looking forward to the day you resume college after getting your admission… you'll do just fine," he said with a pointed look, then chuckled, clearly joking.
Just then, the school admin, Ms. Eva, entered the reception office. "Miss Huds…"
"That would be you, honey," Mr. Hudson cut in, glancing at his daughter, noticing the tears welling up in her eyes.
"Till I see you next, honeybee… I love you, Papa."
Raquella hugged him once more before he got into his car and drove off. She felt a hollow emptiness grow as she watched him leave. It wasn't just the absence of his presence; it was the weight of stepping into a world where she had never felt entirely comfortable. High school had been easy in comparison—she had her small circle, mainly Kareena, her only real friend, the one who understood her. Most people thought she wasn't "mature" enough, or that she lacked the exposure to hang with them. That had left her feeling invisible sometimes, and some days the loneliness had crept into her chest like a cold, unwelcome shadow.
Picking up her luggage and tote bag, she followed Ms. Eva down the gleaming corridors of the college reception. Every echo of her heels against the floor sounded louder than it should, and each passing student seemed to belong to a world she wasn't sure she fit into. She forced herself to breathe and reminded herself: this was her chance. She had dreamed of this day, even if part of her wished it would never come.
Raquella's hands tightened around the straps of her tote bag, and she allowed herself a quiet moment of acknowledgment: she was scared. Not just of college, but of stepping out alone, without her dad's reassuring presence, without Kareena by her side, without the familiar safety of what she'd always known.
Yet, somewhere deep down, a tiny spark of excitement flickered. New beginnings weren't just scary—they could be the start of something she had been waiting for, even if she didn't realize it yet.