She hadn't necessarily been a complex girl - she was more simple than not, and hardly spoke to anyone that she didn't know. She carried herself well and spoke only when spoken to. She was something of a mute, a girl without a voice.

Nona Daley was one to shy away from danger, and had never left home before this summer. She had never left her hometown in the state of Colorado before Tuesday morning, when she had packed two large suitcases with almost everything she had. Her mother, who was driving her to the airport, was quiet for most of the ride. Ocassionally the sound of the radio would held put both of their minds at ease, but it rarely helped.

"Are you sure you won't consider-"

"Mom, I can't go to that college. It doesn't offer what I want to study," Nona replied quietly, and pushed her glasses further up her nose. Her mother pursed her lips with a sigh.

"Well, I know that, Honeybee, but I'm worried about you. You're going to be living in a big city! The biggest the United States has to offer!" she exclaimed. "Not to mention how shy and quiet you are!"

"There's a reason Uncle Larry agreed to let me stay with him, you know," Nona replied. She gulped, already wanting to cry at the thought of leaving Colorado behind. She wasn't sure how people would react to her in New York City. She wasn't sure how her own family would react to seeing her for the first time in four years.

"To keep you safe," her mother mumbled. "I trust him to."

". . . What if he doesn't like me?" The atmosphere changed quickly as Nona's mom let out a loud laugh.

"You are so much smarter than that! Oh course he will! He's loved you since you were a little thing." She turned the car and Nona caught a glimpse of the lights of the airport against the early morning. She felt her stomach clench tightly and had the urge to jump out of the car to run home. "Are you sure this is what you want, Nona? Once you get on that plane, there's no turning back."

She looked at the airport and gulped slightly, thinking about all the work she had done just to apply to a college in New York City.

It had taken months of hard work to be accepted - she had to work hard to be one of the top in her class, and had to do well on her standard tests just to be looked at. She had spent weeks writing a required essay, and gathering letters from her teachers to send in. When she had been told she was accepted, she felt like she would cry or burst with happiness, even though she knew this would be a big challenge for her.

But she was happy to be studying among peers like herself - students who had a deep interest in geography and all things included. Students who had probably never seen the world and used this as a way to see it, like she did. Students who could be just as shy as she was.

"I know that, mom. But I have to do this."

"You've never left Colorado, are you sure you want to do the leap to a big city?"

"Mom, I'll be fine." In reality, Nona wasn't sure if that was true. Her mom placed a hand on top of hers and smiled.

"I know, I know. You're going to do such great things." She parked the car outside of the airport and got out. Nona stretched her arms above her head once outside of the car and helped her mother remove the suitcases from the trunk. When they were set on the concrete, Nona hugged her mother as tightly as she could.

"I'll miss you," Nona said softly, trying to keep the tears from falling. "Please take care."

"I will, sweetie. I promise," came the repsonse. "You have your plane ticket?"

"Yes."

"Passport?"

"Yes."

"All your bags?"

"Mom."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Enjoy New York." She smiled one more time before walking over to the driver's side of the car and getting inside. Nona watched as she drove away and the tears finally started to fall down her cheeks, but decided she wouldn't run after the car.

No - she couldn't do that. She wasn't giving herself a choice.

It's time for me to grow up, and to do my own living, she thought to herself, and got in line behind others who would more than likely be heading to New York City as well.