New York City was calling.
Well, more specifically, a high-level medical internship at one of the top hospitals in Manhattan had Charlotte's name on it. It was the opportunity of a lifetime—one that hundreds of top students from across the country were competing for. The email sat in her inbox for three days before she even opened it. Not because she wasn't excited, but because she was scared of what it could mean.
Leaving everything she knew—again.
"I don't want to lose what I've built here," she admitted one night over dinner with James and Sophie.
James had cooked. It was something he'd started doing more often now. Not that he was good at it—his grilled chicken was still suspiciously dry—but he was trying, and Charlotte found the effort oddly romantic.
"You're not losing anything," Sophie said through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. "You're expanding."
Charlotte raised a brow. "Since when do you give TED Talk advice?"
Sophie smirked. "Since I started dating a psychology major who overanalyzes everything I say. It's rubbing off."
James leaned in. "You applied to that internship for a reason, Char. Because you're good. You've always been good. And you deserve to take up that space."
Charlotte looked between the two people she loved most. They were right. She had come far. From that invisible girl in high school to the confident, resilient woman now standing at the edge of her future.
But a part of her still feared being forgotten again.
Later that week, as she prepared for the panel interview, she stood in front of her closet, staring at a navy blazer. It was her mom's—tailored, professional, bold. Charlotte had never dared to wear it before. But today… she needed that boldness.
The interview was tough. High-level questions, intimidating panelists, and a room that smelled like expensive coffee and pressure. But she held her ground.
"Why do you want this internship?" the lead physician asked her, arms crossed.
Charlotte's voice was steady.
"Because I've spent too much of my life being afraid to speak up, and now I want to use my voice to heal. I've seen what it's like to feel small, to go unnoticed, to suffer in silence. As a future doctor, I never want a patient to feel that way. I want to see them. Really see them."
There was a pause. Then a quiet nod.
When she left the building, she didn't cry or scream or overthink.
She smiled.
Not because she knew she got it, but because she showed up—fully, completely, and unapologetically as herself.
That night, she and James went for a walk. No big plans. Just city lights, the hum of traffic, and hands brushing but not yet holding.
"Do you ever wonder what would've happened if we hadn't gone to the same college?" Charlotte asked, breaking the calm.
"All the time," he said.
"And?"
"I probably would've still found you," he said with a small smile. "Eventually."
They stopped near a fountain, where reflections shimmered and time felt slower.
"Are we going to be okay?" Charlotte asked, the New York possibility still looming.
James looked at her like he always did—with clarity.
"We've been through the invisible days, the awkward days, the growing days… we'll be fine. No matter what happens, Charlotte, you're unforgettable."