Julianne stepped into the principal's office, her lips curling into a small, uncertain smile. She wasn't sure what to expect from this meeting.
"Ah, Ms. Green, you're here," Principal Parker said, his voice warm and welcoming. "I've been waiting for you. Please, take a seat."
"Thank you," Julianne replied, moving toward the chair with a sense of both anticipation and unease.
"I won't take much of your time, as I know you'll want to settle into your dorm," Principal Parker continued, sitting down behind his desk. "I've reviewed your records from your previous school, and I must say, I'm very impressed by your performance. However, there is one issue."
Julianne's heart skipped a beat at the word "issue." What could possibly be wrong?
"I'll be straightforward with you," Principal Parker said. "While you're eligible to graduate early and join the university, there's a complication. You're still a minor, which means we need a parent or guardian for you until you turn 18. Since you've permanently moved out of the orphanage, they can no longer be your guardian."
Julianne's stomach sank. Why hadn't she considered this earlier? Of course, her status as an orphan would pose challenges wherever she went. Now, all the hopes she had about her future, her new life, seemed suddenly distant and foolish. What was the point of graduating early if she couldn't even make her own decisions? Why? Because she wasn't yet 18.
"But," Principal Parker continued, "we want to help you solve this problem. We don't want to let this opportunity slip away."
Julianne looked up at him, her eyes filled with cautious hope.
"I spoke with our board of directors about your case, and one of them has offered to take on your guardianship. Mr. Smith, a respected member of our community and the father of two daughters, has seen your academic achievements and didn't want to see this chance for you to go to university pass by."
Julianne was left speechless. This was the last thing she expected. She had spent countless nights at the orphanage wishing to be accepted, watching other children being adopted while she remained unnoticed. The thought of someone stepping forward to offer her guardianship felt unreal.
Principal Parker noticed the stunned look on her face but didn't say anything. He still couldn't understand how this young girl had found her way to the university. Her background didn't fit the typical story of students at such a prestigious place.
"I'd like to meet Mr. Smith first, if that's okay," Julianne said after a long pause.
Principal Parker nodded. "Of course. Mr. Smith is out of town for a few days, but I'll inform you when he's back. In the meantime, you can begin attending your classes as scheduled."
Julianne nodded in agreement, about to stand when he handed her a folder.
"This contains your class schedule, the university rules, syllabus, dorm information, and a campus map. Welcome to the University of Florida."
Julianne took the folder with a grateful smile and thanked him before leaving the office.
"Hey, how did it go?" Misha asked as Julianne stepped out into the hallway. She was waiting for her, looking as cheerful as always. Julianne had been so absorbed in the conversation with Principal Parker that she hadn't noticed Misha had been waiting.
"Not bad," Julianne replied, offering a small smile.
Misha nodded, then both girls began walking out of the building together.
"So, I noticed no one came with you. Like, from your family?" Misha asked casually.
Julianne froze in her steps, the question hitting her like a sudden chill. Misha turned around when she noticed Julianne had stopped walking. She seemed to realize immediately that she might have said something wrong.
"I hope you don't mind me asking. It's just... everyone else had their families with them when they moved in, so..." Misha trailed off, unsure how to continue.
Julianne stood still, her heart pounding. Misha's question was innocent enough; it was a normal thing to ask. After all, most students had parents or relatives helping them move into their dorms. But Julianne wasn't most students. She didn't have a family. And this was something she could no longer hide.
Taking a deep breath, Julianne forced herself to speak. This was a reality she had to face, no matter how uncomfortable it made her.
"They didn't come because I don't have any," Julianne said quietly.
"Huh?" Misha blinked, not fully understanding.
Julianne's voice caught in her throat, but she pushed on, her tone softer but steady. "I don't have a family. I grew up in an orphanage. I don't even know what they looked like." She forced a bitter smile as she looked off into the distance, unable to meet Misha's eyes. She couldn't bear the sympathy she might see there.
Before she could say more, Misha's arms suddenly wrapped around her in a warm hug.
"I'm sorry," Misha whispered, her voice soft and comforting as she ran a hand gently up and down Julianne's back.
A single tear slid down Julianne's cheek. "It's fine," she said, wiping it away quickly. "I don't have any memories of them, so… it doesn't matter."
Misha pulled back slightly to look at her, her expression filled with guilt. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up. I'm a terrible person. I—"
Julianne smiled through her tears, shaking her head. "No, it's okay. You don't have to apologize."
Misha was still flustered, her face reddening. "But I slapped you earlier! I ruined your first moment at the university, and—"
"Who said you ruined anything?" Julianne interrupted with a wide grin, surprising Misha.
Misha blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"
"You didn't ruin anything, Misha. In fact, you gave me a precious memory," Julianne said sincerely.
Misha's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. She scratched her neck, feeling a bit embarrassed but also grateful.
"If you hadn't done that, I never would have made a friend," Julianne added, a warm smile spreading across her face.
Misha's expression softened, and she nodded, clearly touched. "I guess you're right," she murmured.
Julianne yawned, feeling the exhaustion of the day catch up with her. "Now, if you don't mind, could we head to my dorm? I'm really tired from all the traveling."
Misha nodded enthusiastically, and the two of them set off toward the dormitory.
---
The dormitory warden handed Julianne her room key and a list of rules.
"Here you go," he said kindly.
"You don't have to do all this for me," Julianne protested, but Misha and Rebecca were already busy arranging her things, not listening to her.
To her surprise, Julianne had been assigned the last room on the floor, a single room with a bed all to herself. The room had a balcony that overlooked the forest, offering a peaceful view of the landscape.
When Julianne and Misha arrived at the dorm, they bumped into Rebecca, who had been left behind by Nathan after a bit of an argument. She had joined the two girls on their way to the dorm. The three of them spent the next hour setting up the room, debating over how to decorate it. Rebecca wanted to add some glow-in-the-dark accents, while Misha was insistent on hanging band posters. Julianne had told them multiple times that they didn't need to do this for her, but they insisted, their excitement contagious.
Despite her initial hesitation, Julianne couldn't help but smile. She had never expected to make such good friends on her first day, let alone have people help her decorate her room. She realized, for the first time in a long while, that she wasn't alone.
After about half an hour, the room was set up. All three girls lay back on the bed, exhausted but happy.
"Thank you, both of you," Julianne said sincerely. "You don't know how much this means to me."
The two girls hugged her, their smiles wide.
They spent a little more time chatting about their schedules before Rebecca and Misha left to prepare for their own classes. Julianne was left alone, but this time, she didn't feel lonely. Her heart was full, a sense of belonging slowly settling in.
As she lay down to sleep, she thought back to her meeting with Principal Parker. At first, she had been unsure about his suggestion of guardianship, but now, after everything that had happened today, she knew that she didn't want to go back to her old life. She wanted to stay, to experience all that this new life could offer, and to build something new with her friends.
And with that thought, she drifted off to sleep, unaware that her fate had already been set in motion. No matter how much she wished for the past, it was already behind her. Her future had just begun.