Chapter One: Violet

Somewhere in Ashket city, on the fifth floor of an eleven floor apartment, in room 58, sat a girl of about nineteen years.

Her long black hair cascaded down her back to her waist in light shiny waves and contrasted with her pale flawless skin.

She had on a blue denim dress that fit her slim figure and a pair of Nike converse that covered her slender feet.

Her thin eyebrows furrowed together in displeasure as her pink cupid lips pouted, showing her disapproval, all the while complementing her heart shaped face and small nose.

She bit her lips in anxiety as she read through articles. She had a small frown that deepened more as her eyes moved through the write ups on her laptop.

The wind that blew from the window brushed her hair out of her eyes as she watched a YouTube video of life in the dorm.

A while later, she removed the video and with a depressing sigh, shut down her laptop.

She leaned back on her chair and closed her eyes, trying to process the information jumbled up in her head. Was she really going to transfer to another college because of her move?

Just as she was trying to comprehend her situation, a knock on the door sounded.

"Come in" she replied in her soft as cotton voice, while still closing her eyes.

"Hey sweetie, how are you doing?" A woman around 42 came in. She had ginger hair that stopped at her shoulders, big brown eyes and freckles scattered on her cheeks. She had on an off-shoulder chiffon blouse, dark blue jeans and a pair of multi-colored crocs. She was very attractive.

"I came in to check on you. Are you doing okay?"

She looked around the room, "you haven't started packing?".

She got no reply from the girl on the chair. Sighing, she went over to her and crouched beside her.

"Vee?". No answer.

"Vee?". No answer.

She sighed again and said "Violet, look at me...please?"

Finally, she opened her eyes, shiny and wet with tears that threatened to fall. She peeked through her wet lashes and looked at her aunt.

Those sad violet eyes met a pair of comforting brown ones.

"Hey, come here", the lady opened her arms for Violet to get a hug. She could feel her body trembling, and all she could do was rub her back soothingly.

After a few minutes, Violet released herself and wiped her wet face.

"Don't cry anymore, okay? I know it's not easy to adjust to a new environment, but you have to. I really don't like it as much as you don't but I don't have any more options. Just bear with me sweetheart" the lady said, touching Violet's cheek.

"I know, it's just... I'll miss a lot of people here, Aunt Ree, all my friends..."

"Tyler too?" Aunt Ree raised her brows. Violet looked at her aunt "mm, him too". Aunt Ree scrunched her nose in disapproval.

Tyler was a good guy, but she always thought that he was not good enough for violet.

"Why would you miss him?"

Violet chuckled and softly elbowed her. "He's my boyfriend, aunt Ree".

"Well I think he's not worth missing Vee. You'll meet new people where we're going. You'll forget him sooner or later. He's not even worth a space in your memory, that Tyler '' aunt Ree replied, flipping her hair.

Violet folded her arms with a frown but amusement danced in her eyes. Aunt Ree could be like that sometimes with Tyler and some other guys she's dated.

"I will not let you talk like that about my boyfriend Aunt Ree".

"O please, spare me. You and I both know that this relationship won't work. Have you seen the way he eats when he comes for dinner, like a pig! Eats my special gravy, gets on my nerves, and don't get me started on his parents..."

Aunt Ree stopped talking when she noticed Violet laughing really hard. She smiled and was comforted that at least she's a bit happier.

"After knowing all these, you still keep him?" Aunt Ree asked, smiling but her voice was left with disbelief.

Violet didn't answer, instead rolled her eyes at her with a smile. She knew her aunt wouldn't really tell her to break up with her boyfriend but she never held back her feelings too.

She respected her decisions and gave her advice, otherwise, she trusted Violet enough to allow her make her own decisions as she was an adult too and that's why she loved her.

"Alright Vee, start packing so you can sleep. We leave early tomorrow morning and hopefully, we can get to Fona city before nightfall". Aunt Ree smiled at her before and kissed her forehead.

When the door shut, Violet got up from the floor and began to pack her things, all the while reminiscing on her good memories in Ashket city. She would miss college and all the activities.

She would go to the movies and restaurants she sometimes visited when her aunt wanted her to go out more. Her two friends and all the fun they had together.

She thought about her friend Mia, and all her species of boyfriends she had.

"I need about two different men every two weeks. Keeps me up to date and sharp with my relationship and sexual skills, and sought for on the hot boys market" Mia had said one time during basketball practice.

Violet had thought it was gross but laughed anyway. That was just Mia.

She thought of her boyfriend but didn't even know if she would miss him. He'd been acting strange lately and Violet began to have doubts about him but she didn't want to admit it.

She shook her head and glared at no one in particular. She didn't want those thoughts in her head, courtesy of aunt Ree.

When Violet was done packing, the room was bare except for her bed, desk and a few boxes of her belongings. She and aunt Ree didn't have much and they couldn't afford to stay in their apartment anymore.

Violet had only gotten into college on scholarship and she was hoping she could retain it for her new college.

After taking her shower and putting on her pjs, she returned to her laptop.

It's not that bad...maybe I'll be able to adjust. It's not populated either so maybe I'll be able to make friends?

She was thinking when her phone rang showing Tyler's number. She glanced at the screen, accepted the call and looked back at her laptop.

Somehow, she knew that the call would come sooner or later.

"Hello Tyler". Silence.

It was so long that she thought he ended the call.

"Tyler?" A sigh came from the other line.

"I'm breaking up with you Violet. This relationship can't work anymore. I'm... I'm seeing someone else now. I'm sorry".

Violet glanced at her phone and back to her laptop.

"It's not you Violet, it's me. I just can't continue this anymore. I enjoyed our time together but I just...can't". No reply.

"Look Violet, don't be sad about..."

"I'm not sad"

"...You're not?" He asked in surprise.

"No, I'm not".

"Violet, I didn't mean to hurt..."

"It's okay. You didn't hurt me Tyler''. There was silence on the other line.

Violet didn't know what to feel in this situation. She's had weird break ups before and even troubling ones but this time, she couldn't place a tab on the particular feeling she had right now.

"Oh" Tyler responded awkwardly. "So I heard you're moving?".

"Yes" she glanced at the screen.

"Okay then...safe journey", and he ended the call.

Violet was still looking at her phone. What was she expecting, an ' I'll miss you ' or ' I wish you wouldn't go ' or ' don't leave me '.

She rolled her eyes at those options; they were words that Tyler definitely wouldn't say.

An hour later, Violet shut down her laptop and stretched her back exhausted. She walked to the window and looked down to the illuminated streets. It was alive with traffic and people brushing past each other. Then she gazed up at the black sky.

The stars were numerous tonight unlike most nights in Ashket city. They glowed and twinkled as she watched them; she thought that they had come out to bid her farewell before tomorrow.

She stretched her hand and moved it slowly as if touching the stars as she whispered, "goodbye Ashket city"