The flight
Dalia was in her room walking up and down, she had already packed all her stuff and was waiting for everyone to go to sleep to be able to sneak away unseen. She was lucky that her roommate had decided to sleep somewhere else that night, the only thing she needed was someone asking her what was going on. She waited for hours, doing occasional tours around to see how much people was still awake. She started to hate those girls that stayed late in the common room, didn't they need to sleep, or couldn't they go to their rooms to do whatever they needed to do?
Past midnight there were still girls around and Dalia was starting to lose her patience. Fortunately, they seemed to get tired not long after, and the path was clear for her escape. She took all her belongings and started heading for the door when she heard a door opening. She looked around frantically searching for a place to hide, but it was too late.
-Dalia, is that you?- it was Myriam.
-Oh, hey, Myriam.- she replied casually as if they had met on the street.- Shouldn't you be sleeping?
-Mmm yes, but I can't sleep.- she then saw that her friend was carrying a suitcase.-Are you leaving?
-Me, leaving? Why would you say that?- she said trying to hide her luggage behind her.
-Dalia, don't lie to me. Come inside my room so we can talk.
Myriam helped Dalia take her things into her room and made her sit on the bed next to her. She gave her a cup of tea and helped herself to another one.
-Why do you want to leave?- she asked sweetly.
On that moment Dalia considered telling her everything, but then she remembered Marla's threats, she wouldn't let anything happen to Robert, even if it meant that she would have to lie all her live.
-I just can't stand the pressure anymore. The exams, everything, it's too much for me.- Dalia said lowering her eyes to the cup of tea.
Myriam left hers on the side table and hugged her. Dalia realized that she hadn't felt so well in ages, the warmth of her friend's embrace made her think of her mother and she started to cry. Myriam separated herself from her friend.
-You know, in my first year in here I was really close to giving up too. But I had a friend who convinced me to stay. She told me that I had come a long way to leave then, that I needed to fight for what I wanted, and that if I abandoned then I would never be able to finish anything in my life. She made me realize that being a coward is the easy route, that I had fought hard to arrive where I was for years, so I should be able to endure a bit more, and that if I couldn't endure it maybe it was because it wasn't what I wanted. She told me to be brave and not flee when the things weren't working as I wanted them to. And she told me that I should never ever let anyone avert me from my path. And now I tell it to you because I think you can do it and I know you want to do it. I also know that you are tired and scared, and you think that you should have never come here, that this is not for you. But, let me tell you something, if you are here is because you deserve it. Also, you would break Robert's heart if you left...
Myriam's speech struck her, even if that was not the real reason she wanted to leave. It was true, she had to be brave, she couldn't leave just now. If she wanted to fight Marla she had to do it for real, where she was, instead of hiding away in her parents' farm.
-Thank you, Myriam.
She just smiled and hugged her again. Then she stood up and took her stuff.
-So what do you think about taking all this back to your room? I'll help you unpack tomorrow morning.
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