Mae sat on the edge of her bed, the dim light of her New York apartment casting long shadows across the room. It was late, and the city outside her window was still buzzing with life, but inside, everything felt still, as if the world were holding its breath, waiting for her to make a decision to the manager in Los Angeles. She had spent days thinking about the offer, and now, the deadline loomed over her.

Los Angeles. A new city, a fresh start, and an opportunity she couldn't have imagined just a few years ago. The club had made the offer clear: a penthouse apartment in the heart of downtown, a brand-new car—because, as her manager had pointed out, "You can't survive LA without a car, Mae"—and a pay raise that made her current salary seem insignificant in comparison. It was everything she could ask for, and yet, something inside her still held her back.

She had spent the past two years running from her past. New York had been an escape, a place where she could disappear into the chaos and forget about the life she had left behind at St. Mary's. But now, the opportunity to leave New York and start fresh in Los Angeles felt like both a continuation of that escape and a chance to truly begin again.

Mae leaned back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. The offer had been on her mind constantly since her manager had first mentioned it. The glamorous allure of LA, the promise of a new life, the chance to be part of something bigger than herself—it was all so tempting. She imagined herself driving through the sun-soaked streets in her new car, living in a luxurious penthouse high above the city, and dancing in front of some of the most exclusive crowds in the country. It was a far cry from the life she had known back at the convent, but that was part of the appeal.

This was her chance to truly leave it all behind.

Her laptop buzzed on the nightstand, pulling her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen—it was her new manager again, asking if she had made up her mind yet. Mae sighed, picking up the phone and staring at the message.

"Have you decided yet? We need to finalize things. This could be huge for you, Mae."

She knew it was true. This was an opportunity most dancers would kill for. The money, the perks, the chance to be front and center at one of the most talked-about new clubs in the city—it was everything she had worked for since she had left the convent and started her new life in New York.

And yet, something still held her back. Was it fear? Doubt? Or was it the feeling that no matter where she went, her past would always follow her?

Mae stood up, pacing the small apartment as she thought about everything that had led her to this moment. She had spent so long running, trying to find a place where she could be free of the weight of her past, but no matter how far she went, the memories of St. Mary's lingered in the back of her mind. The vows she had taken, the promises she had broken, and the feelings she had tried so hard to bury.

Father Charlie.

His name drifted into her thoughts like a whisper, and Mae felt a familiar pang in her chest. She had thought that leaving the village would help her forget, but even after all this time, he was still there, lingering in her memories. She wondered if he had moved on, if the life she had left behind had continued without her, just as she had continued without it.

But Mae knew that she couldn't go back. Not to St. Mary's, not to Father Charlie, and not to the life she had once imagined for herself. That chapter of her life was over, and it was time to embrace something new.

She stopped pacing, her gaze drifting to the packed suitcase sitting in the corner of the room. She had been so close to leaving New York behind, to booking that flight to LA, but part of her had hesitated. Now, though, the decision felt clearer than ever.

Mae picked up her laptop, her fingers hovering over the keyboard before typing out a message.

"I'm in. I'll be in LA tomorrow."

She hit send before she could second-guess herself, feeling a strange mixture of relief and excitement wash over her. This was it. She was leaving New York behind, leaving everything behind, and stepping into a new life. A life where she could fully embrace who she had become, without the weight of the past dragging her down.

Her laptop buzzed almost immediately with a reply from her manager.

"That's what I wanted to hear! I'll have everything ready for you. Welcome to LA, Mae. This is going to be big."

Mae smiled to herself as she set the phone down and walked over to the window, looking out at the city that had been her home for the past two years. New York had given her a chance to reinvent herself, to figure out who she was outside the confines of the convent, and she was grateful for that. But now, it was time for something different.

Los Angeles was waiting.

The next morning, Mae found herself sitting in the back of a taxi, the city blurring past her as she made her way to the airport. Her heart raced with a mixture of nerves and excitement, but for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was making a decision that was entirely her own.

She had no idea what LA would bring—whether it would be everything she hoped for, or if it would come with challenges she hadn't anticipated. But she knew one thing for certain: she was ready to stop running from her past and start running toward her future.

And as the taxi pulled up to the terminal, Mae took a deep breath, grabbed her suitcase, and stepped out onto the curb, ready to board the flight that would take her to her new life in Los Angeles.

-

Mae stood at the edge of her new apartment in Los Angeles, the sun beginning its descent behind the skyline, casting a golden glow over the sprawling city. The penthouse was everything her manager had promised—floor-to-ceiling windows with a breathtaking view, sleek modern furniture, and space she never thought she'd have in a city like this. As she leaned against the glass, looking out over her new world, she couldn't help but think about how quickly everything had changed.

She had done it. She had taken the plunge.

After a long night of tossing and turning in her New York apartment, weighing the pros and cons of staying or leaving, she had woken up with a strange sense of clarity. There was nothing left for her in New York. The city had been an escape, a place where she could run from the shadows of her past, but that chapter of her life was over. It had been for a while.

Los Angeles, on the other hand, promised a future. A future where she could embrace who she was now, without the weight of her old life holding her back. The money, the new car, the penthouse—it had all sounded too good to be true, but here she was, standing in the middle of it, having accepted the job as one of the head dancers at the club's new location.

Mae pulled out her landline, scrolling to her manager's number on her laptop. She hadn't told him yet that she was already in Los Angeles, that she had packed her things and taken the first flight west. It had been a whirlwind, and now it was time to make it official.

With a deep breath, she dialed the number.

"Mae!" her manager's voice came through the phone, bright and excited. "I was just about to call you. Any word on your decision, besides no?"

Mae smiled to herself, glancing around the penthouse one more time before speaking. "I'm already here, actually."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then the manager burst into laughter. "You're already in LA? Well, damn! You didn't waste any time, did you?"

"Nope," Mae replied, a slight grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I thought about it, and I realized there was nothing holding me back. This is the right move for me."

"I knew it," the manager said, his voice booming with excitement. "I knew you'd come around. This is going to be huge, Mae. You're exactly what this new club needs. We've already got buzz building, and having you on the roster is going to send us over the top."

Mae felt a flutter of excitement in her chest. It had been a long time since she had felt this kind of energy, this kind of anticipation for something new. The idea of being part of something bigger, of being in the spotlight again, felt like a breath of fresh air. She had spent so long hiding, trying to figure out who she was and what she wanted, but now she was stepping back into the world, ready to embrace it.

"Do you need me to come by the club tomorrow?" Mae asked, her tone casual but eager. "I'm ready to get started."

"Absolutely," the manager replied. "Go around noon. She will get you set up, introduce you to the team, and go over the schedule. This is going to be big, Mae. You're going to love it there."

Mae nodded to herself, excitement bubbling up inside her. She had no doubt that this was the right decision. The Los Angeles club scene was different from New York—bigger, more glamorous, and filled with opportunities she had only dreamed of. And now, it was hers for the taking.

"Perfect. I'll see you tomorrow," she said, ending the call and setting the phone down on the counter.

She walked over to the large window again, taking in the view of the city. It was beautiful—chaotic, sprawling, and full of promise. This was her fresh start, the one she had been searching for. And this time, she wasn't running away from anything. She was running toward something.

Los Angeles was a far cry from the quiet, structured life she had once imagined for herself. There was no convent, no vows to bind her, no weight of guilt pressing down on her shoulders. She had made peace with that part of her life, and now, she was free to carve out a new path.

The car the club had provided was parked downstairs, a sleek black sedan that looked like something straight out of a movie. Mae hadn't even driven it yet—she had taken a taxi from the airport, too overwhelmed by everything to think about navigating the city on her own. But now, as she stood in her new apartment, her things still packed in suitcases, she realized that this was her life. And it was time to start living it.

She opened her suitcase, pulling out a fresh outfit for the night—a tight, black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, paired with a pair of heels she hadn't worn in months. It felt like slipping into an old skin, one that she hadn't worn in a while but still fit her perfectly.

Mae took a deep breath, looking at herself in the mirror. She looked different than she had two years ago. There was a confidence in her eyes now, a sense of purpose that hadn't been there before. She had grown, changed, and now, standing in this penthouse in Los Angeles, she felt like she was finally becoming the person she was meant to be.

With one last glance at the mirror, Mae grabbed her keys and headed for the door. The city was waiting, and so was her new life.

As she stepped into the elevator, her phone buzzed with a text message from her manager. "Just got word—there's already a VIP event lined up for the grand opening. We're going to make a splash, Mae. Get ready."

Mae smiled to herself as the elevator doors slid shut, the lights of the city reflecting in the mirrored walls around her. The future had never looked so bright.