I had said goodbye to Seth, and we both returned to our lives. It was a short and pleasant break. Days and months passed, and life went on whether we wanted it to or not. We were moving toward new ages. At 27, I decided to take a big step and find a job in the city where Deina lived, choosing to live alone there. It was a big decision for me. When I shared this idea with Chris, he was very supportive—of course, he would also have another home to come to.
I had started taking steps—career support sites, job applications, everything. When I first told Deina, she said living there would be difficult and that I shouldn't come without savings. I told her if I found a job, she could host me for two months and then I'd move into my own place. I even offered to contribute to her rent. She didn't say yes or no. I continued job hunting and listed her address as my current one. A few companies contacted me for in-person interviews.
I prepared, went to interviews, and things were going well. One company accepted me and said I could start in two weeks. When I told Deina, she said she had a boyfriend and couldn't host me—it would make things uncomfortable. And so began another heartbreak. I was so deeply disappointed. My first obstacle on the path to a new life came from the friend I had trusted the most.
We argued. Years of friendship shattered in one conversation. I never saw Deina again. I deleted and blocked her everywhere. She later tried to add me back on some platforms, but I never accepted. Even now, we don't talk. When I cut someone off, I do it completely.
Then came the next challenge: telling my family. There were arguments—"What are you going to do alone in a big city?" "Even Deina didn't accept you!" Eventually, they gave in to my determination. I had read somewhere: parents always lose to the will of their children. My family even sent me some household items—curtains, dishes, some kitchen stuff. With my savings, I bought a bed, a fridge, two couches, and a washing machine. That's how I began my new life.
For three months, I commuted two hours each way between cities for work. My day started at 5 a.m. and ended at 9 p.m. No one knew how I was managing it. Not even my colleagues. When I finally told them, they were shocked. I just said, "It's a long story."
Eventually, I saved enough and rented my own place near my job. Everything happened so fast. Even my angry family gave up resisting. I met new people, made new connections. Good people give us hope. I had no one—but I didn't give up.