moving on

The dark atmosphere, the penetrating scent of the forest that immediately reaches my nose, makes me scan my gaze in all directions. I don't know where I am at the moment. I'm certain that I should be on a plane heading to the place where I will be living in the future. So why have I ended up in this unfamiliar place, I wonder. 

" He should have been truly sent into exile." The heavy voice echoes, making me jolt. The voice is so clear, yet I haven't located its source. 

" What's wrong with me? Isn't it just a matter of time?" Another sentence I hear guides my steps towards the source of the voice, and this time I see a group of people. But where is this? The ambiance is vastly different from the place I'm familiar with. It's like the setting of a fantasy movie—a royal throne with chairs lined up in front of it. 

"This isn't normal. How can he become the heir of this nation's clan when he hasn't achieved his awakening until now?" Someone before their King utters these words while seated with authority on the throne. 

They seem to be discussing something. But why am I in this place? I stand quite a distance from them, yet their resounding voices allow me to hear their conversation clearly. 

"Is everything my fault, huh? Forget your foolish idea of driving me away from my homeland, because in the end, all of you will have to bow down to me." 

"Alpha." the weighty voice resounds, quieting the commotion before him. Everyone falls silent and bows, except for a young man who meets the King's gaze with his arrogant stare. 

"Why? Don't tell me you agree with their idea." he speaks again to the King. 

"That's your punishment for exile due to the chaos you've caused, not a means to achieve your awakening." the King responds, causing the young man to smirk dismissively. 

"Nonsense." he mutters. 

"You haven't even found your mate yet."  a woman's voice comes from another direction, and for some reason, all the faces that are now not far from me appear blurry. I can't see them clearly. 

"You can find your mate in exile, my brother." she speaks again, and after that, I scream when someone firmly pats my shoulder, drawing their attention to me. 

I slowly open my eyes, and the clean white ceiling of the room comes into view. I start stretching my arms before pulling the blanket with a teddy bear pattern and rolling onto my side. It's still 9 in the morning, well, it's kind of late morning, but I still feel tired and sleepy. 

I fall silent for a moment; it feels like I've experienced something, perhaps a dream that I don't remember even a bit. 

My body feels really tired after the journey from my hometown to New York. It took a very long time, so I decide to be lazy in this soft bed. Well, before my phone's ringtone forces me to get up and walk to the source of the sound, then reach for my phone still in my bag. Oh god, the sound of my phone could wake up the entire complex because I had set the volume too high. I quickly answer it before that actually happens. 

Seeing the name displayed on the flat object in my hand, I let out a sigh. 

"Hello, Mom." 

"Hi sweety, how's your first morning in New York?" 

"Not too bad." I reply while walking back to the bed and leaning against the headboard. 

"Are you still mad?" she asks, a clear tone of sadness in every word. Of course, I'm still mad at her, my own mother. She sent me to New York without involving me in the decision at all. I had to leave my school, my friends, and someone else. I try to be understanding about everything, since I'm already in New York now. 

"No, Mom." I reply half-heartedly, because I'm actually confused about what to say. 

"Sweety, I'm so sorry. I had to do it. It's for the best for you." she keeps saying those words, and I'm getting bored of it and choose to give in and follow her will. Even now that I'm in New York, she keeps repeating that sentence. 

"I know, Mom." I answer, resigned, even though I strongly disagree with her opinion that all of this is for my own good. What she thinks is good might not necessarily be good from my perspective, especially since I'm the one experiencing it. 

I get up from my comfortable seat on the bed and walk towards my suitcase, which is placed right next to the white-painted wardrobe. I sandwich my phone between my ear and shoulder, trying to listen to what my mother is saying on the other side. It's like hearing a voice recording that I keep replaying; I even know every word my mother is saying over there by heart. 

"Are you listening to me, sweety?" she asks when I remain silent, merely being a listener. 

"Yes, I'm listening. I'll study well here, follow all the rules that Aunt Ana and Rex mention, and avoid bad influences." I reply, trying to repeat all the advice she gave. I feel a bit annoyed; if she's worried about me being influenced negatively in the Western area, why didn't she just let me stay in Indonesia? 

I pause for a moment and think. Okay, it's not just that reason that's making me upset. One of the reasons is that I have to leave someone who's very important to me. 

"Alright, that's good then. I'll visit you at the end of the month. I really miss you." Really? I'm not sure she misses me. All I know is that she's currently having a great time with her new fiancé in Dubai. 

"Mom, I have to get ready. Rex is taking me to sort things out at my new school." I choose to disregard her comment; I don't really care if she's going to visit me or not. 

"Okay, have fun and love you." she says. After that, I decide to hang up without responding to her farewell. 

I place my phone on top of the suitcase and stare at it, letting out a heavy sigh and trying to accept everything with an open heart because it's the only path I can choose. 

I'm Aurely, stranded in New York City at the age of seventeen. I had to move to this city and leave my home country due to my mother's unilateral decision. I was born and raised in Indonesia, where my father Dion came from. He married my mother Alice, who hails from America, specifically New York. When I was young, I used to spend my school holidays visiting New York and meeting my mother's side of the family. It was great for vacations, but not for living permanently. According to me, I don't fit in with Western culture—be it their social interactions, way of life, or even their food, which doesn't suit my taste buds. Doesn't that prove that 99% of Indonesian genes flow in my veins? It's evident in my own body's characteristics: a petite frame, dark black hair, not-so-pale skin, and dark brown eyes. I inherited all of that from my father. I grew up in a small, happy family. However, that came to an end a year ago when my father passed away due to illness. Long story short, I couldn't stay there anymore because my father no longer had immediate family, apart from distant relatives. Staying there was practically impossible for me. 

That's why my mother, Alice, decided to move me to her home country. And where is Alice? Of course, she's busy with her soon-to-be husband in Dubai. She decided to marry a Middle Eastern man about two months ago. I've met him a few times; he's a good and pleasant man. However, I find it hard to accept new people around me. So, I chose to stay in New York rather than joining them in Dubai. It would be even more difficult for me, and I'd be all alone there. 

Of course not, my mother wouldn't leave me alone. She entrusted me to Anna, her younger sister. 

Knock, knock, knock! 

"Lia." 

That must be Rex, Anna's only child. He's a police officer and is eight years older than me. 

"Are you awake?" he shouts again, making me have to get up from my seat and walk to the door. 

"I thought you were still asleep." he says, glancing at his wristwatch. 

"Well, if Mommy hadn't called me, I might still be sleeping now." I reply, walking back to my bed and plopping onto the soft mattress. 

"Hey, what are you doing? Get ready. We're going to check out your new school." Rex protests, folding his arms. 

"Rex, I'm still jet-lagged. Can't we take care of everything tomorrow?" 

"Lia, you have to start school the day after tomorrow, so now get up and get ready." he says, grabbing my hand and pushing my back into the bathroom, which is connected to my bedroom. He's always acting childishly and pushing me around, even though I just want to relax for today, or at least let me think about what I need to do in my new place.