"Boarding now," the announcer said.
Selena ignored it, shoving her headphones in deeper.
Bruno's hand hovered near her shoulder. "You sure?"
She shook her head—at herself, not him.
"Yes," she whispered.
"Call me," he said. "Don't disappear."
She didn't answer. Walked past him, past the gate. Plane doors closed. Gone.
Three days later, she dragged a suitcase up the creaky stairs of her new apartment.
The door barely closed behind her. The place was small, old. The bed squeaked.
She dropped the suitcase and sat. Her hand rested on her stomach for a moment, almost instinctively.
A knock.
She froze.
"Hey… moving in?"
She peeked out. A guy leaned against the wall across the hall. Casual, friendly.
"Yeah," she said cautiously.
"I'm Luke," he said. "I live across the hall. Need help with anything?"
"Uh… thanks. I'm fine," she muttered.
He nodded. "Cool. Just holler if you change your mind."
Door closed. Silence. Safe.
Next day, while walking to class in the hallway. she sighted Luke and wanted to go the other way but unfortunately he already saw her
"Hmm….why does he have to go to this school." Selena muttered to herself while trying to adjust what she carried.
"Morning," Luke said, holding a coffee.
"Morning," she said.
"Heading to class" Luke asked
"Yeah….business administration " She replied softly but loud enough for him to hear.
" Hey you're in luck then because that's my class too." Luck replied cheerfully
"Oh…" Selena replied back under her breath
They both went to class together with Luck chattering and Selena just quietly observing.
A week later, she was struggling with textbooks her textbooks on the way to class. Luke appeared.
"You've got too many," he said.
"I can manage," she said, huffing.
"Need a hand?"
She paused. "Okay… thanks."
He smiled. "No problem."
Late night, at the balcony. While she sipped tea, city lights below. Unconsciously hands on her stomach. Her secret. Her plan. Quiet.
It hard been a stressful in a foreign land but she's going to preserve maybe not for herself but for her child.
Phone buzzed. School messages. Nothing else.
She smiled. First time in weeks she felt… okay.