I finally moved away from my mom.
For once in my life, I could make decisions on my own.
It was a bold step. I knew she wouldn't approve, but I didn't care. I was eighteen it was my life. I was tired of living by her rules.
She controlled everything. I had no real friends, never went out, and was always stuck inside like some fragile little doll she had to protect from the world. And her beliefs? Don't even get me started.
Our house was cluttered with "protection charms." Salts in the corners. Candles that burned at odd hours. Little rituals she insisted on performing. The whole thing felt like something out of a horror movie.
And then there was the pendant.
She gave it to me as a baby and made me swear never to take it off. I tried once, back in high school. But I couldn't. The clasp wouldn't budge, like it was sealed by something stronger than metal. She always said it was for my safety that the world was dangerous.
I used to think she just wanted to keep me scared and trapped. But I was done living that way. When it came time for college applications, I only applied to one school my dream school all the way in New Feathers, three cities away.
I lied and told her it was a local school. When she found out the truth, she lost it. For days, we fought. She begged, threatened, cried said she'd never let me go.
And then, out of nowhere… she changed her mind.
Just like that.
It was weird. But I didn't question it. I was too relieved to finally be leaving.
Now here I am, lying on my bed in my dorm room, in a town that feels like a whole different universe. It's been two weeks, and everything still feels surreal.
New Feathers is unlike any place I've ever been. The air here feels… different. Thicker. Almost enchanted. The town has this quiet, mystical energy, like it's keeping secrets. The buildings are old stone walls, ivy-covered windows, narrow winding streets that make you feel like you've stepped into a storybook.
Trees are everywhere. Tall, ancient ones that line the roads and press up against buildings, as if the forest never fully let go. Ravens and crows circle overhead, their cries echoing like omens. They perch on rooftops in groups, always watching.
The weather rarely changes. Misty, humid, soft. Like the town is always just waking up or never fully asleep.
And I loved it. Somehow, it felt like I belonged here even though I'd never been here before.
Back at the dorm, I shared a room with Diana. It wasn't huge, but it was perfect for two people. We even had our own bathroom. My bed was near the window, and my locker was tucked behind the door. From the window, I could see the campus and beyond it, the fog covered hills that wrapped around the town like a secret.
It was Saturday, and I was curled up reading one of the many books my mom packed before I left. I'd made a little shelf above my bed for them my personal library in this new life.
The door creaked open, and I didn't need to look to know it was Diana. The way she walked in quick and with purpose told me she had something to say. I looked up, curious.
She flopped onto her bed, grinning.
"Guess what?"
"What?" I smiled. "Just tell me. I'm not good at guessing."
Diana and I had only known each other for two weeks, but it already felt like we'd been friends forever. She was easy to be around. Confident, playful, bold. Everything I wasn't but everything I liked being near. She helped me settle in, figure out my class schedule, even dragged me to dinner a few times.
She leaned in, eyes sparkling. "There's a job opening. Waitstaff. And I think I can help you get it."
My eyes lit up. "Seriously? That would be amazing. I've been wanting to earn my own money since I got here."
She hesitated. "There's just one thing… you might not like where it is."
I narrowed my eyes. "Where?"
She smirked. "A nightclub."
"Oh."
"But wait don't freak out," she added quickly. "It's not wild or anything. It's more like a bar-lounge hybrid. During the day, it's quite almost like a café. At night, there's music, lights, drinks but nothing too crazy. And my boyfriend's brother owns it. He's handling the hiring."
She gave me a hopeful look. "You don't have to say yes. Just think about it."
I hesitated. "I mean… I'll think about it. But let's be real. These places want girls like you flirty, sexy, confident. Me? I overthink too much. I don't even know how to carry a tray right."
Diana sat up and stared at me like I'd said something offensive.
"Girl. Are you serious? You are stunning. You just don't see it."
I laughed, shaking my head.
"No, really," she insisted. "You have this soft, mysterious beauty. And yeah, you dress a little safe, but that's easy to fix."
She paused, then lit up again. "In fact, come with me tonight. No pressure. Just check the place out. If you hate it, you never have to go back."
I hesitated. The part of me raised under my mom's thumb wanted to say no.
But I wasn't that girl anymore.
"Okay," I said quietly.
Her eyes widened. "Seriously?!"
"Yeah. Just to look."
She squealed and dove for my closet, tossing outfits onto the bed before shaking her head in disappointment.
"We need to fix your wardrobe."
Since we were about the same size, she grabbed a few of her own dresses for me to try.
As she helped me into one, her eyes caught the pendant around my neck.
"This necklace looks… intense."
"Yeah. My mom gave it to me. I've literally never taken it off."
"Never?"
"Not once. I tried… but I couldn't. It wouldn't come off."
Diana stared at it, curious. She reached out and touched it.
"Ow!" she hissed, pulling her hand back and sticking her finger in her mouth. "It bit me!"
I turned to her, wide-eyed. "What?!"
She showed me her finger. A tiny drop of blood.
"I'm so sorry," I said, reaching for her hand.
Then I felt it.
The necklace around my neck loosened.
I touched it. The chain slipped free like it had never been stuck at all.
My heart stopped.
"I thought you said it wouldn't come off," Diana whispered.
"It never did before," I said, stunned.
We stared at each other as a gust of wind blew through the window, making it creak. The room felt… heavier.
Unspoken energy hung between us.
We both laughed nervously.
"I told you my mom doesn't play with supernatural stuff," I said.
"I can see that," Diana muttered, still eyeing the necklace.
She shrugged. "Anyway. Up to you. Put it back on if you want."
I looked at it in my hand. Cold. Silent. Harmless.
But something about it felt… different now.
"No," I said. "I've lived under her rules for too long. If it came off on its own, maybe it was meant to."
I placed it in the drawer. Diana looked proud.
We tried on five of her dresses before I settled on one still short, but the most modest of the bunch. A black one-shoulder bodycon dress which I wore a black denim jacket on it . It hugged my curves and showed more skin than I was used to. My cleavage peeked through the neckline, and I fidgeted, uncomfortable.
"Don't worry," Diana said, smiling. "You look hot. Own it."