Chapter One: The Beginning of Goodbye
From the moment I stepped on that bus, I knew my life was about to change forever.
The bus groaned and rattled as it rolled down the long road leading out of the village. I pressed my head against the window, watching the only world I'd ever known slowly blur into the distance. The brown earth. The narrow dusty paths. The scattered rooftops of my neighbors' homes. It was all fading behind me, piece by piece.
Gone.
I clutched my old brown backpack, the one Dad gave me two years ago on my birthday. It still smelled faintly of home—smoke from Mama's cooking fire, the scent of clean sheets dried under the sun, the faint trace of his cologne.
My chest tightened.
I blinked fast, refusing to let the tears fall. Not here. Not now. I had to be strong. That's what Mama always said. But no one told me how hard it would be to leave everything behind—especially him.
I closed my eyes and let the soft rumble of the bus take me back to this morning.
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Flashback – That Morning
"Lilian, are you ready?" Mama's voice came from the doorway, calm and warm as always.
"Almost," I replied, folding the last of my clothes into a small box. I zipped my bag slowly, glancing around my tiny room one last time. The cracked wall where I used to stick drawings. The corner where I kept my school sandals. The dusty shelf where Dad's photo used to sit—now empty.
I picked up the photo, wrapped it gently in a towel, and placed it carefully inside my suitcase.
Down in the kitchen, the smell of fried yam and eggs filled the air. Mama had set the table for two—our last breakfast in the house.
"You need to eat," she said as I sat down. "It'll be a long journey."
I nodded, taking a small bite. The food tasted fine, but everything in me felt heavy. My stomach was already full of emotion.
Mama sat across from me, sipping her tea. Her eyes looked tired, but she tried to smile. "I packed some chin chin and a bottle of water for the trip. Your uncle will meet us at the station."
"Thanks, Mama."
She reached over and brushed a stray braid from my face. "Your father would be proud of you, Lilian. You're strong."
I swallowed hard and nodded. I wasn't sure if I believed it, but I wanted to.
---
Back to the Bus – Present
I stirred slightly in my seat, pulling my sweater tighter over my arms. My eyes opened for a second, then drifted closed again.
Sleep found me in that moment—heavy and unexpected. The bus rocked gently, and I let myself float, just for a while. Maybe dreaming would be easier than thinking.
I didn't know how long I slept. It could've been five minutes or an hour. But I felt a light tap on my shoulder and heard her voice.
"Lilian. Wake up. We're here."
My eyes fluttered open to see **Mama—Zara**—smiling down at me. Her expression was soft, but I could see the same nervousness I felt reflected in her eyes.
I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes as the bus came to a stop. Through the window, I saw tall buildings, cars honking, people walking fast in all directions. It was nothing like the quiet village I came from.
The city was alive. Loud. Strange. Overwhelming.
And this was only the beginning.
I pulled my bag onto my lap as Mama stood. "Uncle James should be waiting outside," she said, holding onto the metal bar as the bus door opened.
I nodded, my heart pounding. I was just a countryside girl in a place I didn't understand. But there was no turning back now.
Whatever waited for me beyond that door—chaos, heartbreak, new beginnings—I had to face it.
One breath.
One step.
One heartbeat at a time.
Because this was the start of something new.
Maybe even… something beautiful.