First Steps, First Impressions

The shrill sound of Victoria's alarm clock pierced through her dreams, yanking her out of sleep. Groggily, she reached out to silence it, but in her half-awake state, she misjudged the distance and sent the phone clattering onto the floor.

"Ugh," she groaned, blinking blearily at the glowing numbers. 6:45 AM.

Wait. 6:45 AM?!

Her heart lurched. She was supposed to leave for the airport by 7:15 AM—and she wasn't even out of bed yet!

"Tori!" Her mom's voice carried up the stairs. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah!" she called back, scrambling out of bed. Her red hair was a tangled mess, and sleep still clung to her limbs, but she had no time to dwell on either. She was flying to New York today.

Throwing open her suitcase, she double-checked her packing. Clothes? Check. Toiletries? Check. Laptop, books, chargers? Check. She yanked on a pair of jeans and a fitted white sweater, running a brush through her long waves as she hurried to the bathroom. Splashing cold water on her face, she stared at herself in the mirror—freckles dusting her nose, wide blue eyes slightly puffy from sleep.

This is it. The day you leave.

By the time she made it downstairs, her mom and dad were already waiting, her dad holding a steaming cup of coffee out for her. "Morning, sweetheart. You're cutting it close, aren't you?"

"Don't remind me," she muttered, grabbing a granola bar from the counter and stuffing it into her bag.

Within minutes, they were in the car, her suitcase in the trunk, speeding toward the airport. Victoria kept checking her phone, eyes flicking between the time and her flight details. Boarding: 8:15 AM.

They arrived at the airport with barely twenty minutes to spare before boarding. Victoria hugged her parents tightly, her mom's arms lingering a little longer than usual.

"Call us when you land," her mom said, brushing Victoria's hair back.

"I will," she promised.

Her dad gave her a gruff squeeze. "Go make us proud, kiddo."

With one last smile, she grabbed her carry-on and rushed through security, reaching her gate just in time for final boarding. Her heart was still pounding when she collapsed into her seat by the window.

Next stop: New York.

Welcome to NYU

The flight was long but uneventful, and by the time Victoria landed at JFK, her legs were stiff, and she felt like she had been sitting for a lifetime. The moment she stepped off the plane, the energy of New York hit her like a tidal wave—people moving fast, voices blending into a chaotic symphony, taxis honking outside the terminal.

She collected her luggage and found a cab, giving the driver the address to NYU's dormitories. As the car weaved through the streets, she stared out the window, taking it all in—the towering buildings, the rush of pedestrians, the endless possibilities buzzing in the air.

This is home now.

When she arrived at NYU, she checked in at the dormitory office, received her key, and made her way up to her new room. The dorm was small but cozy—two twin beds, two desks, and a large window overlooking the busy street below.

She had just started unpacking when the door opened, and a girl stepped inside, pulling a suitcase behind her. She was tall, with dark curls and a confident smile.

"You must be Victoria!" the girl said, setting her suitcase down. "I'm Aria, your roommate."

Victoria smiled, relieved that her roommate seemed friendly. "Yeah, that's me, but just call me Tori. Nice to meet you!"

Aria plopped onto her bed and stretched. "I can't believe we're actually here. NYU, baby! So, what's your major?"

"Literature," Victoria said. "I love reading."

"Nice," Aria said. "I'm doing journalism. So basically, you and I are both book nerds."

Victoria laughed. "I guess so."

The two chatted as they unpacked, and Victoria felt her initial nerves ease. She had been worried about making friends, but Aria's warm personality made her feel at home.

Once they had settled in, Aria suggested, "Wanna go check out the campus?"

"Definitely," Victoria agreed.

NYU was massive, even bigger than Victoria had imagined. The buildings stretched high, blending historic architecture with modern glass structures. The sidewalks were packed with students, some rushing to classes, others sitting on benches, lost in books or conversations.

Victoria and Aria wandered through the main square, taking in the sights.

"This place is insane," Victoria said.

"I know," Aria agreed. "Oh, and you HAVE to see the library. It's gorgeous."

At the mention of a library, Victoria's eyes lit up. "Lead the way!"

Aria laughed. "Knew you'd say that."

The library was everything Victoria had dreamed of—tall shelves stacked with books, cozy reading nooks, and the quiet hum of students studying. The scent of old paper and fresh ink filled the air, making her heart flutter.

"This is heaven," she whispered.

"I'll let you enjoy your moment," Aria teased. "I need to run to the bookstore. Meet me back at the dorm later?"

"Sounds good," Victoria said, already drawn to the shelves.

She wandered through the aisles, trailing her fingers along the spines of books, until she reached a section on classic literature. Just as she pulled out a copy of Pride and Prejudice, she heard a voice beside her.

"Good choice."

She turned and found herself looking at a guy—slightly skinny, with monolid brown eyes framed by round glasses. His dark hair was tousled, and he wore an oversized sweater that hung loosely on his frame.

He gestured toward the book in her hand. "A classic."

Victoria smiled. "One of my favorites."

"Same," he said, adjusting his glasses. "I'm Grayson, by the way."

"Tori," she replied. "You go to NYU?"

"Yeah," he said. "Freshman, just like you."

Her eyebrows lifted. "Oh, really? What's your major?"

"Computer Science," he said, pushing up his glasses. "Though I'm pretty sure I'll be spending more time in here than in a lab."

Victoria laughed. "I get that. I feel like I'll be living in this library."

"Not a bad place to be," Grayson said. "You just moved in today?"

"Yeah. My roommate and I were exploring, and I sort of got distracted."

"Understandable," he said with a small smile. "The library does that to people."

Victoria glanced at the book in her hand, then back at him. "So, do you just hang around waiting to judge people's reading choices, or was this a coincidence?"

Grayson smirked. "A little of both. But mostly coincidence."

Victoria grinned. "Well, in that case, any recommendations?"

He thought for a second, then pointed toward a shelf behind her. "The poetry section has some rare collections. If you like classics, you should check out Emily Dickinson."

"I'll do that," she said.

"Maybe I'll see you around," Grayson said, nodding slightly before walking away.

Victoria watched him disappear behind a bookshelf, her heart still humming with excitement. She had barely been at NYU for a day, and already, she had met interesting people, explored an incredible library, and begun her new adventure.

As she tucked Pride and Prejudice under her arm and headed to check out, she felt it again—that rush of possibility, of a new beginning.

New York was already starting to feel like home.