Dreams of Forever

C H A P T E R 1

ROSE

Droplets of rain misted my face.

The cool breeze whispered through my ebony hair, hair that must have looked a hot mess by that point.

The sun was shining down on my pale skin, as it threatened to break through the grey sky.

I had never felt so alive as I did in that moment.

Messy.

Serene.

Free.

No parents hovering over me, telling me to act like a lady. No one but myself that I had to impress.

No longer entrapped in a glorified prison, no longer suffocating, and most importantly, no longer molding myself into someone I didn't recognize.

It was just me and my longboard, Freaks by Surf Curse blasting through my knockoff AirPods, bombing a hill in Seattle's urban neighborhoods. The song was my life anthem, what could I say, it was fitting.

I had spent 18 years living for everyone but myself, living submissively and obedient, trying to impress those who thought they were far superior than the rest of the world, those kinds of people who truly thought they shit out gold.

My new life motto was that if it didn't make me happy, it could fuck all the way off. It was my time to grow and learn who I was, to make real connections with people who were kind and didn't have ulterior motives. People who understood the word no and knew what respect was. I was going to make a name for myself, and prove everyone wrong who doubted me.

You don't need money, fancy cars, and mansions, as my favorite reggae artist Bob Marley had once said, some people were so poor, all they had was money, and there was no way I would let my future end up so shallow.

As I rounded a corner, I glanced back to see my blonde bombshell of a roommate and best friend, cruising not too far from me, her hair flowing freely around her, she had the same look of complete serenity that I wore on her perfect face.

Remi was the best thing to happen to me since moving across the country, the best thing that had ever happened to me, if I was being honest with myself.

We were two damaged souls, who happened to stumble upon each other at the lowest points of our lives. Two lost souls looking for someone to look beneath the surface, to find, mend and heal what had been shattered by those who couldn't have cared less.

When I landed in Seattle, I had no idea what I was going to do. I left my entire life behind back in New York and all I had with me was a small backpack with my essential items, and a new-found determination. I knew it wasn't the smartest thing to do, going to a new state, with no connections and only enough money for a week or so, but there was no way I was staying back in my own personal hell, not with what was expected of me.

My life already wasn't ideal, and although I knew there were far worse situations I could have been in, I'd rather be in that position due to my own actions. At the end of the day, that choice belonged to me, and I'll be damned if I ever let anyone take that away from me again.

So, after a 6-hour flight and multiple panic attacks later, I arrived at SeaTac, which did nothing to calm my nerves. That was one of the busiest airports that I had been to, and trust me, I'd been to many. Dear old mommy dearest had a taste for the finer things in life, including all-inclusive vacations, monthly, if not weekly. I was forced to tag along with my live-in nanny, who was more of a mother to me than my own. Although those vacations were excessive, I was thankful to have had so much time spent with Gina, she truly taught me how to live and how to be a kindhearted person. I couldn't imagine the person I would have become if my parents had actually taken the time to raise me, so I guess my mom did me a favor in that aspect.