Only one more month until I was finally free. Free to live on my own and start life as an official adult. Most people would be scared or dreadful about this new change in their lives, but not me. With this change I would finally be able to leave this small town I have grown up in with nothing to hold me back anymore. I could meet new people, focus on my future and start off with a clean slate.

Not that I didn't have any good memories living in the town of Lakeville, but let's just say the bad ones had definitely outweighed the good.
Honestly the only thing that has kept me from leaving earlier and helping me maintain some sort of sanity was my mom, because she was all I had left of my family. Her, and my two closest friends from school, Allison and Owen. Without them, I never would've had the courage to apply to my dream school and instead would've probably stayed in Lakeville for the rest of my life never realizing what my full potential outside this small town could be.

My name is Arya Grace, I am 18 years old and in one month I will be fulfilling my goals of going to college. This one step will help me reach my dream of becoming a doctor in order to help others. My life finally will have a purpose and I won't have to be surrounded by the judgement of others anymore.

I won't be the girl people pity or hate or feel sorry for anymore. Just because my brother died in combat in the army and I never really knew my dad all that well. My mom never even told me much about him whether he died, or ran off or simply vanished; the subject was one which she never talked about which of course led to even worse rumors towards us.

Of course rumors in a small town spread like wildfire in a land without water to stop it. I did miss my brother but with each passing year I seem to lose more memories of him since I was only 13 when he died. I was able to remember some important cherished memories, but he joined the army when he was 18, so the time I saw him while he was in the army was very little. He was only 21 when he died and my mom was devastated when she got the news.
But life, continued to move on even when I didn't want it too.

But in one month none of that will matter, my fresh start will come and these memories will just be a part of my past. I have nothing but optimistic views to the future.

Maybe, I might even get into a relationship. Because while I hate to admit it, I just wanted to cave into teenage hormones for once in my life and at least experience a kiss from a boy. Because let me tell you being one of the main town gossips does not do wonders for one's personal life so becoming a social pariah was the norm for me. So the fact that I can't even say I've gone on at least one date, even if it was the shittiest of dates, is kinda depressing.

I'm honestly still surprised the two friends that I do have wanted to stay friends with me for as long as they have in the first place. Even though both are going to different colleges than me, I know they still care a lot about me.
Even when at times, I cared about Owen as a little more than a friend. I don't think I could ever admit that feeling verbally in fear of losing him, and because I know he has told me before how he thinks of me just as a good friend (and I'm pretty sure he might have feelings for Allison). But regardless, I know whatever happens those two will always have my back.

~~~

My shift at the library was soon ending as I cleared anymore thoughts of my life out of my head.

I have always enjoyed the company of books more than actual people, so when I was offered a part-time job at the library at the edge of town, I didn't hesitate to take their offer. Reading was my escape from my life, and the fact that I was getting paid to work with one of the few things I enjoy, well I would be crazy not to accept, plus it looked good on my resume.
To clarify how small but extra the town of Lakeville was, we had three libraries but no movie theater. One library was in the public high school, another was the town's local public library where pretty much everyone went. The third was where I worked.
It was located at the farthest edge of town, hardly anyone went to visit it, because it was either too much of an inconvenience to go there or because it was smaller than the local public one, or simply because most people forgot it existed. Only the few dedicated bibliophiles ever came in every so often for a new read that wasn't in the other two libraries. Note, that these select few weren't in search of one of the twilight books but rather one of the classics or works of ancient philosophers or something classy like that. I respected those few people.

As I finished cleaning up and started to gather my things in order to lock up for closing, I texted my mom asking if she could pick me up.

Now I know what you must be thinking, oh my gosh this 18 year old doesn't know how to drive what a loser. Yeah well you can shut it, because I do know how to drive but I can't afford a car, hence the part-time job, also the money for my college tuition is greater than a need for a car.

Usually, I catch a ride home with one of my coworkers, particularly my coworker Gladys. Gladys is a 65 year old lady who basically acts like my second mom but is also one of my close friends, and always seems to smell like peppermint. She's the one who helped me get the job here in the first place and lives close to my house anyway.
I live not completely on the outskirts of town but somewhere in the middle. So, while usually I would take my bike everywhere, both Gladys and my mom agree that me riding it at night in this area is too dangerous for someone like me. So whenever Gladys and I tend to have the same work schedule she takes me home some nights. In exchange my mom and I cook her meals since she lives alone with two cats since her husband passed away.

But tonight Gladys wasn't feeling well so I told her not to worry about me handling closing by myself. And I promised her my mom would pick me up.

Right as I was finishing checking that everything was put up and in place, I get a text from my mom that she is here and outside waiting for me.
I quickly lock the doors and head to the parking lot where I see my mom's blue Nissan.

She unlocks the door and gives me a warm smile.

"Hey sweetie, how was work today?" As she starts the car up to leave the parking lot.

"Eh, same as always I guess. Maybe a tad more boring since Gladys wasn't there," I replied.

"Well I made some homemade soup for dinner and when we get home we can stop by Gladys' house to give her some. Poor thing must have the worst cold," my mom responded.

By this time we were starting to get onto the road and I fumbled with my earphones to plug into my ears since my mom was listening to some talk show and there are hardly any negotiations when it comes to changing that woman's car radio.

I nodded to her statement only half listening at this point since the only thing I wanted to do was sleep and maybe watch some YouTube videos of surgeons scooping out a hematoma from someone's head.

I could kinda hear my mom talking about this cute dog she saw on the way to work wearing a bandana around its neck.
But honestly I was also kinda tuning her out at this point since she sometimes gets off topic with her subject matter.

The funny thing is, is that almost everyone I meet say I look like an exact copy of my mom. One would even say a clone, which can get tiring and creepy after a while. Except while we may look like each other physically, we are nothing alike in thought.
She always wanted me to be more girly, she always had something positive and cheerful to say and yet she could roast a person to the brink of tears making them feel like they could just be a failure at life.
And I would know because not only have I seen both sides but I've experienced both as well.

My mom used to be an engineer but since my brother died, she now works mainly as a consultant for only a few major projects, working mostly from home.

As I snapped out of my thoughts once more I noticed it started to rain really hard and my mom started asking me about my job again and more specifically if I had seen any cute guys come by.
Instead of answering I rolled my eyes and turned up the volume to my music. Watching the sheets of rain hit across the passenger window.

Only one more month and my fresh start will be here and I can be normal and breathe again.

Then as I looked forward all I saw were bright flashing headlights through the pouring rain. My mom trying to swerve the car, and then everything turning black....

**********************************

Hello everyone! Sorry it took so long to post this first chapter but I hope y'all enjoy it! Any comments about it so far, it will get more exciting I promise! Also shoutout to Chatachino for making this AMAZING cover!! I appreciate all the support. And I will try to update a chapter at least once a week or every 2 weeks!

-Purplegirl22