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17 year old Kira. October 14 @13.17

"Kira?" my grandma's soft voice wakes me up. I struggle to open my eyes, but when I do, I am greeted by her genuine smile.

"Come, get up. Let's go home. The nurse told me you fainted," she says as we walk in the school hallway. I can't believe I'm almost 18 and I still get nightmares from that night when-

"Oh my!" I miss a step and almost fall, but I quickly catch myself, huffing out as I smoothen my dress that's flailing with the Autumn wind. Then I try to walk in a straight line, following behind gran's slow steps.

"You good?" she asks as she gets in the car. I nod my head as I buckle up and an old memory resurfaces.

"What triggered you?" she asks softly as she drives out of the parking lot.

"The date today," I murmur as I look out the window. She smiles at me reassuringly. The rest of the drive home was silent. 14 October. A date I will never forget. The day my life changed, as well as the lives of the relatives of all those involved in the other car.

"I received a call from an old friend of your mom's," grandma says over supper that evening. The same old friend that has been calling ever since I turned 15, I think, mentally rolling my eyes. I look up from my plate of broccoli, baked potatoes, mutton and vegetable soup. She and grandpa are both looking at me expectantly.

"What did she say?" I have to force myself to ask. I really couldn't care less.

"She asked about you." She pauses. I nod for her to go on. "She wants you to fly over to Manhattan to go live with her during your final school year."

What? Am I hearing this right? Fly over to some lady's place? What are they thinking? They don't even let me walk around the block to go sleep over at my friend's house. And they are contemplating the idea of me moving across the globe for a friend of my mom's? Incredible.

"You know we can't afford that." I gently lay my hand on hers and notice what wrinkling but delicately soft skin she has.

"But all the expenses will be covered."

"I don't think you should miss this opportunity," grandpa adds. I can't help but wonder what this woman said to convince them to convince me. The thought of leaving the only guardians I have left and go live with another lady isn't exactly what I planned to do with my senior year.

"Why?" I ask.

"Well, because it's not everyday that you'll get a chance to continue your studies in another country," grandpa says.

"Very thoughtful," I say, pursing my lips. "Although, I can't help but wonder why she insists on me going to live with her? She's been asking since I was 14. What's the catch?" I ask, looking at them for answers they've refused to give for as long as I remember. Grandma looks at grandpa and he nods discretely.

"You're very important to her." They always say that.

"More than I am to you guys?" I argue back.

"Your grandma and I realised it's selfish of us to keep you from... wider... opportunities."

I laugh dryly, looking at them unbelievingly. What do they mean wider opportunities? I'm on full scholarship and soon I'll go to Edinburgh or Aberdeen. I just have to make research and choose which offer to accept. That's as wide as my opportunities can ever get. It's more than anyone in my shoes could ever ask for.

"The choice is yours, sweetie." It's really not, but I don't say that. "Take your time and think it through, okay?" grandpa says. I nod, knowing that 'take your time' means he'll ask again tomorrow and it better be an answer that he wants to get.

After dinner, I help grandma clean up and pack away everything else. I wish them a good night and go to my room. I change into my pyjamas and prepare for bed. My room isn't that big. In fact, this house isn't that big. But it's enough to move from one room to another. I switch on my laptop and see an old picture of me, my mom and dad displayed on the screen, making me smile to myself. I click on the search engine icon and a blank page comes on.

Grandma has spoken about her so many times her name is engraved in my memory. I type it in the search bar and a lot, and I mean a lot of results show up. I open up one of the links and skim through, trying to find out something about her. Vanessa Grand is a multi-billionaire business woman. Shareholder in Oakland Inc., Edina Enterprises. She has been a widow for more than 10 years now.

I also notice she only has one son, the same age as me. He attends Ridgeview Private High School. I log into my Instagram account and enter his name in the search bar. Sixteen mutual friends. I click on his profile and see pictures of him with what looks like a football team. There are some of him with a basketball team as well. He uploaded a new picture of him and a group of friends just 30 minutes seconds ago and people were commenting happy birthday.

I contemplate whether I should follow him or not. I see no reason why not to. He's just a random stranger online, and so am I. If he doesn't see it, then it won't be a problem. After talking myself into doing it, I tap on the blue button before I have the chance to change my mind and talk myself out of it. He follows back almost immediately. I go to my direct messages and see that I received a new message a few seconds ago. I hesitantly click on it.

It's from him.

Kian Grand.