The shrill beep of the alarm clock shattered the quiet darkness, echoing through the cramped room like an unwelcome intruder. 5:00 AM. Carrie groaned, burying her face deeper into the pillow as the relentless sound drilled into her skull. She slapped at the nightstand blindly, knocking over a half-empty coffee mug before finally silencing the noise.
The world outside her window was still cloaked in shadows, a faint orange hue on the horizon hinting at the approaching dawn. But there was no time to savor it. Today wasn't just any day—it was the beginning of everything. The last chance to decide whether she'd remain stuck in a nightmare or finally escape it.
With a sigh, Carrie sat up, her blanket slipping to her waist. She sluggishly picked up her phone. Though her anxiousness bubbled beneath the surface, it had already begun to wane after days of unanswered emails. She swiped through her notifications, expecting more rejection letters.
Then she froze.
A sudden, loud scream tore from her throat as she jolted upright, almost throwing her phone.
"It's over!" she screamed again, forgetting the early hour.
The door burst open, and Mr. Evans stumbled in, wielding a baseball bat. "What happened? Are you alright?" he asked, panting like he'd just run a marathon.
"Oh, looks like I startled you," Carrie said, chuckling nervously. "I'm fine, Dad."
"Fine? Then why scream like that? You scared the crap out of me!" Mr. Evans exclaimed, lowering the bat.
"I got in!" Carrie squealed, her excitement spilling over.
"Got into…?" he prompted, his words trailing off.
"TerraNova University! Dad, we talked about this—the scholarship!" Carrie reminded him.
"Oh, right," he said, the tension in his face easing. Then, as his expression shifted, worry crept into his voice. "But I still don't get why you're so desperate to leave New York."
"I just want to explore my childhood memories," Carrie said quickly, brushing off his concern. "And besides, you don't have to worry about me. Leo and Ava are already there—I'll be fine." She gave him a reassuring smile.
Mr. Evans studied her for a moment, his gaze sharp and searching. "I don't know… It feels like there's more to this."
"Come on, Dad," Carrie said, avoiding his eyes. "I'm 21 now. This is my chance to learn how to be independent."
He sighed heavily, then managed a small smile. "You're right. And, by the way, your mother would be so proud of you. Do you know how hard it is to get a scholarship to TerraNova University? I'm proud of you too, Carrie." He pulled her into a side hug.
"Thanks, Dad. What would I do without you?" she said, leaning into him.
"When are you leaving?" he asked after a pause.
"Tomorrow," Carrie answered with a sheepish grin.
"What?!" Mr. Evans pulled away, his voice rising.
"I know it's sudden," Carrie explained quickly, "but I have to submit my files by tomorrow. There's no other way."
"You sound way too glad about this," Mr. Evans muttered with an exaggerated eye roll.
Carrie laughed. "You can't be serious."
"Well," Mr. Evans said, standing up, "if you're leaving so soon, you'd better start packing. The butler will take you shopping later today."
"Does that mean I get to use your black card?" Carrie asked, her eyes lighting up.
"Whatever. I have a meeting at 7 AM. I should get ready," Mr. Evans replied, waving her off as he walked out of the room.
As the door clicked shut, Carrie squealed, hugging her phone to her chest. "My day couldn't get any better!"
----
A few hours later, Carrie found herself sitting in the corner of her room, staring blankly at her luggage.
"Yes!" she suddenly exclaimed, grabbing her phone from the table. Without hesitation, she dialed Leo's number.
"What's up?" Leo's voice came from the other end, calm yet curious.
"Well… let's just say I'm exhausted," Carrie replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
"Exhausted? Why?" Leo asked, his interest piqued.
"Your school decided to send me an acceptance email a day before resumption," Carrie said, a knowing smile spreading across her face.
"Hold on—you got in?" Leo's voice jumped with excitement.
"She got in?" Ava, who was seated next to him, echoed in surprise.
"Of course I did! I got the email this morning," Carrie disclosed proudly.
"And you're just telling us now?" Ava interjected, snatching the phone from Leo.
"I wanted it to be a surprise! You know, just show up in Canada like, Hey! I'm in town! But then I thought about the stress of navigating the city alone," Carrie explained as she began pacing around her room.
"That's no excuse!" Ava snapped.
"Okay, okay! Let me have my phone back, thank you," Leo said, reclaiming the phone from Ava with a chuckle.
"But I'm not done scolding her!" Ava protested, crossing her arms.
"You can finish scolding her once she's here," Leo said, patting Ava on the shoulder.
"Thanks for saving me," Carrie said with a relieved sigh.
"I can't save you once you're face-to-face with her, though," Leo teased.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure your girlfriend loses her limbs if she pesters me," Carrie quipped nonchalantly.
"Like I'd let that happen," Leo muttered under his breath.
"Can't believe I'll be some random third wheel now. Jeez, that's one nightmare," Carrie muttered before changing the subject. "Anyway, I need to finish packing."
"Got it. Call me when you get here, and we'll come pick you up," Leo offered.
"Sure," Carrie said briefly before hanging up.
Letting out a loud exhale, she took another long look at her luggage. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day," she murmured before collapsing onto her bed. Within moments, her eyes fluttered shut, her exhaustion finally catching up to her.