Kate had always imagined that moving to a new country would feel like stepping into someone else's dream. But as the car drove through unfamiliar streets, she realized it felt more like waking up in her own life for the first time.
Tall houses with pointed roofs slid past the window. Trees she didn't know the names of flickered in the corners of her vision. Even the sky looked different here—paler, wider, almost silver. She tucked a lock of her long blond hair behind her ear, watching it glow faintly in the light that poured through the window. Her hair had always been her comfort, something soft and familiar to hold onto when she felt out of place.
And right now, she felt very, very out of place.
Kate's mother kept glancing at her from the front seat. "Nervous?" she asked gently.
"A little," Kate admitted. Her voice came out smaller than she wanted, but she didn't try to fix it. She had learned long ago that pretending to be fearless didn't make the fear go away.
Besides, she wasn't just timid.
There was boldness in her too—a quiet sort, buried deep, but real. It flickered inside her hazy light-colored eyes, the ones people always told her looked like morning mist. Soft, but sharp enough to catch the light when she turned her head.
She hoped that meant something.
She hoped it meant she could start over.
When they finally reached their new home, Kate stepped out onto the sidewalk. The air felt crisp, like someone had washed it clean. She wrapped her arms around herself, not because she was cold, but because everything felt too big. Too open.
This country.
This city.
This house.
None of it knew her yet.
Inside the house, cardboard boxes stacked in corners made the rooms feel temporary. Kate wandered through each one, trying to imagine her life filling the empty spaces. Her footsteps echoed softly. Her heartbeat echoed louder.
In her new bedroom, she set her suitcase on the floor and opened the curtains. The window looked out over a cluster of rooftops, each one sloping at a different angle. Beyond them, the sky stretched in a long, pale blue sweep. For a moment, she just stood there, letting the light touch her face.
She wasn't fearless. She knew that.
But she was here.
And she wanted to try.
Kate let her long blond hair fall over her shoulders and took a breath that felt like the beginning of something. Somewhere inside her, the timid part trembled—but the bold part whispered:
You can make friends here.
You can belong.
You just have to take the first step.
Her hazy eyes sparkled faintly in the window's reflection—uncertain, but hopeful. And that hope, small as it was, felt beautiful in its own quiet way.
Today was only the first day.