CHAPTER 1

Quinn's POV

"I really don't want you to go, Quinn. I mean, I just don't feel good about this. Why do you have to go? And does it have to be only you? Why can't we go with you?

"Grandma I will be fine; it's just a year, 12 months, and I will be back for sure," I said as I smiled at her.

"No! Grandma is right; it's too dangerous. How can you survive on your own for that long? What if you get kidnapped, robbed, or battered?" That was Jayden. My 16-year-old brother supported my grandmother. I know they don't want me to leave. Well, I never wanted to leave too, but I know I have no choice. I've got to do this.

"Listen, Jayden, going to college in another country doesn't mean I'm going to war. Who will kidnap me? Or beat me up." I said I was trying to make them calm down a bit, but it wasn't working. Well, I don't blame them after all we've been through; they wouldn't want to leave me, and neither do I, but I really don't have any other choice.

Jayden wanted to say something again, but I placed my middle finger on his lips before he could talk.

"Grandma, Jayden I have to go, and I will be back for sure. I said this in the most serious way I could, staring into Granny's eye and then my brother too. We sat down there for a few minutes in silence. My grandmother seemed to be thinking deeply, which got me wondering what was on her mind. I shifted my eye to look at my brother, and I immediately met his curious eyes; unlike Granny, he looked rather curious than thinking.

"Fine, do whatever you need to do and come back to us." Granny finally said, and I couldn't help but hug her tight. She patted my back gently, and after some time, I released her. I noticed Jayden didn't say anything all the while. I moved closer to him and hugged him too, and to my surprise, he hugged me back. I wasn't expecting him to.

"Okay, sis," he said, nodding his head with a bright smile on his handsome face. Holding my hand and squeezing it gently, he nodded at me again. I sighed in relief. This is all I need—my family's approval. They said yes, even though they are in the dark right now. I know they just chose to believe me. I really appreciated that. To be honest, it seemed too easy, as I expected Jayden to ague more, throw a tantrum, try to convince me, lock me in my room, and do all sorts of things to stop me from going, but he behaved so maturely that it made me proud of him.

"Th...thank you," I managed to say. I was already moved to tears. Granny hugged me, while Jayden found it funny and laughed at me.

After a while, they left my room. I could now hear Jayden's voice laughing with his friends. I know I'm going to miss him, but I'm glad at least he has friends to keep him company. Thinking about that made me realise I haven't even told Amie yet; she will be so mad. Should I tell her or leave a letter? I asked myself continuously, and honestly, I'm kind of confused. If I tell her now, she is going to kill me for telling her late, but if I don't mention it at all, she's going to be so mad and hurt, so I guess I should inform her.

I sat down quietly in the car as the driver drove me to my best friend's house. We have been friends for six years. She lives with her mother; her father is late. Gosh, why am I feeling like this is my farewell to everyone? I mean, I would be back after a year, right? I laughed at myself for thinking like that; even the driver looked at me with some kind of expression. This might be my final goodbye. I don't even know what I'm going to do in the USA; I just know I have to do the job to repay the kindness he showed me two years ago, or we lose everything again, and I can't afford that, ever! so that is why, whatever this is, I'm doing it.

"Miss Quinn," I heard the driver call my name; it seemed we were there already.

"Thank you; I will call you when I'm done." He only nodded and drove away. I sighed again and looked at the familiar house in front of me. "This might be the last time I will see it," I said in my head. When I realised the meaning of what I just thought about, my eyes widened, and I immediately pinched myself.

'Calm down, Quinn; you're not dying, okay? You're making this sacrifice for your family, and it's worth it.' I placed my right hand on my chest, rubbing it down as a sign of calming myself down. After taking a few more deep breaths, I proceeded to the front of the house and knocked gently.

As expected, Amie opened the door. "Hiii," I said first, smiling gently.

"Hey, you?"

"Amie, we have a problem." I didn't even think about how to start the conversation with her. No, I didn't want to think about that; I already knew it was going to be a disaster no matter how I put it, so I'm just going straight to the point.

"What? Come in first." She opened the door wider for me. I went while she closed the door and joined me in the living room.

"Now start talking, Quinn. What problem?"

"Where's Mom?"

"She went out. What problem do we have, Quinnifa?"

"I have to go to the USA tomorrow and probably be back in a year," I finally said, and Amie gave me a look that made me feel chills all over.

"What did you say?" Amie pronounced each syllable steadily. Oh my! I know instantly that I'm in trouble.