THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING
1624 Words
KENZ POV
CHAPTER FOUR
I barely slept.
Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was the email.
Freedom. New York. Life outside Greenville.
It was as if my daydreams had finally come to pass. The thought alone gave me butterflies in my stomach. I couldn’t explain how excited I was, but at the same time, I was anxious.
I sat on the edge of my bed at 4 a.m., staring at my phone for the hundredth time.
The word “CONGRATULATIONS” still felt unreal.
Jeremy had left an hour ago, but his expression was still stuck in my head.
“What am I going to do when you’re gone?”
I hated how guilty that made me feel because, for the first time in nineteen years, I chose myself.
The next morning, the entire house smelled like toast and orange juice, which were my favorites. Gospel music played loudly downstairs because my mum believed there was never a day gospel music should not be heard.
I dragged myself downstairs sluggishly as usual. My father sat at the dining table reading his newspaper while sipping orange juice, while my mum moved around the kitchen aggressively like she was fighting invisible enemies.
It seemed like a normal day at the Simons’.
“You’re awake,” my father said, still reading his newspaper.
“You look unkempt,” my mother added.
“Good morning to you too, Mum,” I said while grabbing a toast.
She aggressively placed bacon on the table.
“Maybe if you gave yourself a break from that phone, you would look more decent like your sister.”
My mum always tried to compare me to my younger sister, but it did not matter today. I had great news.
My stomach twisted nervously.
Should I tell them?
No. Maybe after breakfast?
Dang. That will make it worse.
“Kenz,” my father called.
“Is something wrong with you?”
“No, Dad. I’m fine. I have something to say,” I replied.
Before I could finish my sentence, my mum asked,
“What if this scholarship does not work out?”
There it was. That tone.
It was like they expected me to fail.
I answered angrily.
“What if it did?”
I gripped my fork tightly.
The atmosphere suddenly grew quiet. Silence followed immediately.
“What do you mean?” my mum asked, looking confused.
I hesitated at first. I swallowed hard before replying.
“I got the scholarship, Mum,” I said, my eyes getting watery.
My dad lowered the newspaper slowly.
“You got the scholarship?”
My mum blinked twice like I had just dropped a bombshell on them.
A few seconds later, she jumped up and increased the volume of the gospel music. She rushed toward me dramatically, looking like the happiest person in the world.
“My baby got accepted. Jesus, I thank you so much!”
“You got accepted? You actually got accepted?”
“Yeah...” I replied.
She was in total disbelief. Who would have thought the weird kid in the neighborhood would be leaving on a major scholarship?
“Oh, thank you Jesus,” she repeated again, almost tearing up.
“Let me see the email,” my father said.
He read through it, and for the first time in weeks, I saw him smile genuinely.
It felt like relief.
“When do you resume?” my mother asked eagerly.
“Next month,” I replied.
Suddenly, her mood changed. It felt like I had just said something disgusting.
“Next month?” she repeated, sounding uninterested again.
“Yeah...”
“That’s too soon. Besides, New York? It’s too far,” she said, trying to convince me to stay.
I knew she was about to ruin my plans of finally being happy, but I could not allow it.
“I cannot deal with this right now, Mum. I’m going to NYU, and that’s final.”
My father interrupted calmly.
“Relax, both of you.”
“You do not know what’s out there, Kenz,” she said.
“There’s nothing out there, Mum. For once, can you just let me be happy?”
“Oh really? Then why do you want to leave Greenville so badly, huh?” she asked, looking furious and curious.
“Mum, please. Just let me be,” I answered, sounding tired and frustrated.
“I want to be free, Mum. That’s all.”
My mum stared at me like I had insulted her personally. She had always been dissatisfied with almost everything I did, but this time it felt different.
I was finally choosing myself, and she did not know how to take it all in.
“I’m leaving next month,” I said firmly. “And that’s final.”
I walked upstairs before anyone could stop me, mostly just to clear my head.
The next few days became unbearable.
My mother barely spoke to me unless it was necessary. My dad tried acting normal, but even he could feel the tension rising every day.
Only Toria seemed excited.
“You’re literally going to live in New York,” she said while jokingly hitting my arm.
“Yes, I am. Going to miss your annoying ass too,” I said, smiling while folding my clothes into my suitcase.
“Are you anxious?” she asked.
“A little,” I replied.
“Well, you got this, Kenz. Just be yourself and be free,” she said while munching on some chips.
I paused.
“Toria, you know I do not hate Greenville, right?”
She nodded.
“I just do not have any sense of belonging here. I feel like an outcast, mostly because of my background.”
“But you make it easier most times.”
I knew I was going to miss Toria, but I still had greater plans ahead.
Two days before my flight, my dad informed me that I was going to stay with distant family I had not seen since I was six, the Alexises.
I did not remember much about them. I only knew they were filthy rich.
“Kenz,” my dad called.
“Yes, Dad?”
“I just got off the phone with my brother. He and his wife agreed to host you while you’re in New York,” my dad said, looking like he had just won the lottery.
I was shocked.
“Oh my God, are you serious, Dad?”
I only had a few hours left before heading to the airport.
I got to my room and continued packing when my mum walked in.
At first, I was nervous because I thought she would try changing my mind about leaving. But still, I had already decided I was going to stand my ground.
She walked into the room quietly, looking around like she was trying to find something.
Then she sat beside me.
“I cannot believe my baby is really leaving,” she said while holding my palms.
I swallowed hard.
“Yeah.”
“When you were little, you used to cry anytime I left you at school.”
I laughed softly.
“Mum...”
“Or when you would always want me to dress you up for dinner.”
My chest tightened.
Her voice cracked slightly like she was about to break down.
“I’m not abandoning you, Mum. I’m still one phone call away,” I said while wiping the tears from her face.
She looked at me for a long moment before pulling me into a hug.
That alone broke me because my mother rarely hugged me.
I hugged her back tightly, never wanting to let go.
“Just promise me one thing,” she asked with a small chuckle.
“What’s that, Mum?”
“Do not lose yourself out there.”
I forced a smile.
“I’ll think about that.”
The airport felt like a blur.
Everything moved so fast.
Voices echoed everywhere. Suitcases rolled across the floor just like in the movies.
My dreams were finally coming to pass.
My father handled most of the check in process while my mum adjusted my sweater every ten minutes.
“You packed your medications?” my mum asked.
“Yes.”
“Charger?”
“Mum?”
“I’m just making sure, baby!”
“Thank you, Mum. I’m fine.”
Then a notification popped up.
It was Jeremy.
“Can we meet before you leave please?”
I stared at the message for almost five minutes before another one appeared.
“I’m at the airport.”
I looked around slowly.
And there he was.
Looking smart as usual.
For some reason, seeing him made me feel less anxious.
“You came?” I asked nervously.
“I could not miss the most important day of your life.”
“I’m sorry I reacted that way toward you. I just could not face the fact that you would be leaving for a while.”
His voice sounded desperate enough to make my chest ache.
But I did not want to fall for his dubious acts again.
“Jeremy, please leave,” I said, trying to sound uninterested.
He kept apologizing, but I could not let myself down again.
An announcement echoed through the airport.
First boarding.
“I guess that’s my cue to leave,” Jeremy said, looking disappointed.
“You deserve freedom.”
I shut my eyes tightly.
Then he hugged me, and I completely froze.
“Goodbye, bunny.”
I almost laughed.
“Stop calling me that.”
He smiled before stepping back.
And this time, I felt like my happiness was finally going to last for a while.
- Writer
