Some sweet and bitter surprise

[Liv’s POV]

The bus hums with a rhythmic vibration as it barrels down the highway, leaving the towering structures of New York City behind. I press my head against the cool glass, watching the urban landscape give way to the open expanse of Connecticut. The change of scenery provides a strange comfort, a reprieve from the city’s relentless pace.

My phone buzzes, and I glance at the screen. Sarah’s name lights up, a lifeline in the midst of my swirling thoughts. I answer, and her voice comes through, warm and reassuring. She asks how I’m doing, and I can’t help but spill the turmoil that’s churning within.

“I’m on my way to Hartford,” I tell her, my voice carrying a weight I can’t shake off. “I just needed to get out of the dorm. Thanksgiving with Dad seemed like a better option than drowning in loneliness.”