I stared out the window of my father's SUV, lost in thought about how messy my life had become.
I wondered when I would finally feel that spark everyone talked about—something that would excite me, something that would make me shine.
"Bella."
My father's voice pulled me back to reality.
I blinked and looked up, realizing we were already parked in front of Medical Science University—MSU for short.
I had always dreamed of becoming a doctor since I was nine.We stayed in los Angeles but had to move to Turkey after what happened. I still remembered Character Day at school, when my mother dressed me up in a tiny lab coat.
When she was here, our house was filled with laughter, joy, and warmth. Now, it was just… empty. A kind of emptiness no one could fill.
"Bella?" my father called again. "You've started thinking again, haven't you?"
"No, Dad," I replied, forcing a smile only I understood.
I stepped out of the SUV and pulled out my luggage. That's when it hit me—I was no longer in the comfort of my room, where no one could disturb me. I was out in the real world now.
After my mum died when I was fourteen, I was homeschooled because of the trauma. It was something I tried to forget, but it came back every night like a nightmare… like a shadow that never left.
Dad hugged me goodbye and gave me one of his long speeches about "letting my potential out into the world."
"Bella," he said, "you're a star hidden in a box. It's time to let yourself shine. And please—try to have fun."
I rolled my eyes. That wasn't happening anytime soon.
He insisted on walking me to my hostel, but I refused. After what felt like another hour of convincing him I'd be fine, he finally left.
The emptiness returned immediately.
I stood there, watching his car until it disappeared from sight.
The walk to my room felt endless—especially since I was assigned the last floor of a four-storey building. I hated that. But since I enrolled late, I didn't really have a choice.
That's a story for another day.
Right now, all I could think about was my roommate.
Sharing a room with someone? That was my worst nightmare.
But of course, Dad refused to get me a private place—even though he could afford it. He said I needed to "bond with people" and "make friends."
I finally reached the room and pushed the door open.
And then I froze.
Standing there…
Was someone I had hoped I would never see again.