Under The Naked Moon

Elena's POV.

The first day of school

Hello everyone, I'm Elena, a petite teenager with long, dark hair and deep brown eyes. I'm just a regular girl who loves her mom fiercely and despises her absent father for leaving us. Little did I know, my first day of college would bring an unexpected twist into my life.

I should say that I had nostalgic feelings about it. I hardly slept last night; my nerves kept waking me up every 30 minutes. I finally woke up around 4 a.m., but the cold couldn't let me take a shower immediately; I had to steam water before I took a bath. The Minnesota cold is something I still can't get used to, and I doubt I'll ever get used to it. It's been three long years since we left sunny Arizona for this chilly place, and honestly, I doubt I'll ever

adapt to it. I kept contracting cold-related illnesses, from flu to sneezing and pneumonia.

I dragged myself out of bed at four in the morning. The first thing on my agenda was a hot shower to combat the cold. Shivering under the water, I couldn't help but reminisce about the warmth of Arizona. Oh, Arizona, that is just a place perfect for me. The sunny weather, the sights of the cliffs and deserts—hmm,  how much I missed that place.

Well... By 7 a.m., I was all dressed and ready to go. Mom, in her ever-loving and slightly overprotective way, had packed breakfast for me like some kid. It's quite funny; she still treats me like a kid, even though I'm 18 now and heading off to college. Well, I won't blame her; I'm all she had. Dad left us when I was five. The bastard left without even looking back; we were probably a headache he wanted to cure. Well, I hear he has his business and is doing well for himself, but I don't give a fuck about his cursed ass.

Mom came to me, kissed me on the forehead, then handed me the breakfast she had packed for me, then said her usual "go well" talk: "Take care of yourself, baby; do not look for trouble; and let trouble not come near you; focus on your studies, and not boys." I literally joined her in saying it word for word; it has become an anthem for her, and she will always say that to me whenever I'm leaving home.