I tried to close my eyes again to catch another sliver of elusive sleep, but it was no use. Thanks to my family’s reach out and touch someone campaign, I was awake now. And the sounds from the kitchen told me that Faith, my best friend from college and new flatmate, was awake. Good old Faith. When I called her, frantic and blubbering a few weeks ago, she told me to get my Yank ass on a plane and insisted I stay with her.

I dragged my feet out of bed, and my toes immediately cursed my decision to move to London and not a warmer, more tropical locale. Nevertheless, I rummaged in my suitcase for thicker socks. Note to self, must unpack.

My phone buzzed again. Second note to self—get a different phone or at least a new chip. One that prevented my family from following me around and demanding all my time.

I shuffled into the living room and kitchen area to assess the damage Faith was doing to breakfast.

“Ah, good morning, love. How'd you sleep? I worried you'd be jetlagged. Then I realized, belatedly, that the room has no drapes. Normally it's not a problem with the weather and all, but today it was sunny of all things, so of course, the sun was going to disturb your sleep and...”

That was Faith. She had a tendency to ramble and speak at the speed of light. Due to her thick Manchester twang, I missed part of what she said, but I got the gist.

Faith bustled around the kitchen, yammering at a hundred miles an hour as I walked over to her. She finally paused when I stepped right in front of her and hugged her tight. I wasn’t big on hugging. Any kind of touching usually made me uncomfortable. But in instances like this, sometimes a hug was called for. Without even knowing it, Faith had saved my life. She was the reason I could breathe for the first time in years.

Faith wrapped her arms around my waist. “Ah, love. What’s with the hugs? Are there going to be waterworks too? If there are, I've got Kleenex in the pantry.”

I sniffled. “No. No. I'm just really happy to be here. Really happy to have this. I'm excited too.”

Faith smiled, displaying even teeth and dimples in her heart-shaped face. “You should be excited. No one I know has the guts to do what you did. Pack up in a moment’s notice and move out of country. Abbie, I swear.” Faith let go of me and handed me a mug of tea.

I took the tea, even as I winced. “Well, let’s face it, I sort of ran away.”

“Don’t call it running away. Call it running to a new adventure. I’m so glad you called me.”

“I’m so glad you’re letting me stay. I know it’s a bit of an imposition.”