Do you know that feeling when you hold your very first major paycheck in your hands? The kind that makes your chest puff out a little, that makes every all-nighter, every cram session, every second you doubted yourself suddenly worth it?
That was me today.
It wasn't just money—it was proof. Proof that I could take care of myself, that I could stand on my own feet. Proof that I was no longer just a student hanging on the edge of a dream, but an actual man with a place in the world.
And the best part? Val already knew. She already looked at me like I was somebody before this day even came. That thought alone nearly doubled my excitement.
