“I didn’t leave anyone special behind,” she replies, looking away from her phone with a soft sigh, trying not to show how much it affects her.

“Oh, that’s actually a good thing, in a way. It means you won’t spend your time dwelling on what you left behind,” Tess comments with a smile.

“Yeah... you’re right.”

“When I came here, I spent weeks wondering if I was making the right decision. But my boyfriend supported me so much, you know? He’s one of the reasons I came. He told me, ‘Go shine. I’ll b