A/N: Sorry it took so long for there to be another update everyone! I have been so busy it's ridiculous. Anyway, here's a chapter of what I'm hoping is a satisfactory length. Also sorry if Saleah's background seems a bit unclear! I'm hoping to clear that up in the next chapter. Thank you for everyone who is following and reading :) Also, I didn't beta this so I'm hoping it is ok. I'm also hoping to update once a week now that things have slowed down a bit :) Thank you all!

-Cati

Saleah Gaiffin stepped off the platform of the New York Subway, her short, dark hair blowing in the wind. Her face had an annoyed look to it, her features contorted in a mix between disgust and severity. Her cobalt grey eyes roamed the crowd, drinking in the sight and then spitting it back in disgust. Calculating. Cold. Her dark purple Belstaff coat blew in the rush of the passing trains, and the turned-up collar stiffly remained in its position. Her well-tailored blouse fit perfectly with her high waisted asphalt trousers. With the six buttons. No less. Saleah was staunch on the six-buttons during the shopping trip.

Her combat boots added a surprising touch to her otherwise businesslike outfit. Her small suitcase swung limply in her left hand, like it held nothing important. In her right, a small violin case was gripped tightly, like it held everything important. Holding her head high, she stepped quickly through the throngs of people, elbowing and yelling her way out of the crowded station. "Get out of my way! I've got somewhere to be! MOVE, IMBECILES!" Yet no one paid attention, so Saleah continued on her way, rudely trampling over anything in her intended path.

At the exit door, a blue-haired woman waited impatiently, counting under her breath the patterns on her black knit sweater. "About time," she grumbled, straightening up and taking off after the dark-haired girl. "Saleah Gaiffin! Get over here!" Saleah turned on her heel and waited, a scowl clouding her face. "What do you want?" "I wanted to tell you goodbye," the woman cried, squishing her into a very protective bear hug. "Hm. Bye, Aunt Katrina," Saleah growled, turning on her heel and stalking off. "Saleah!"

"I told you goodbye this morning, you demanding, emotional creature!" she announced, dialing a number and putting a phone up to her ear. "Honestly, it makes me sick. You're so concerned and involved suddenly. You weren't around for the first ten years of my life and then you show up suddenly after my parents die. But you aren't a real relative! You haven't been here for me at all because you're too drunk to walk in a straight line and you spend all your time wasted in a bar somewhere and I'm always having to get you out of trouble! I'm done!" "But sweetie, I-" "Look at you right now! You're shaking all over and the only reason you're here is because you somehow managed to climb out of the gutter and put on one of my sweaters! Get out! I got the scholarship to this exchange program all by myself without any help from you! I'm going to London and when my exchange is over I'm not coming back to New York!"

Saleah stalked out of the station, her boots clomping loudly, the beat matching the anger she felt. Stepping out onto a sidewalk, she spilled the air out of her lungs in an angry sob. Glancing around quickly to make sure no one had noticed, she quickly gathered herself together and began to walk down the sidewalk to reach the airport. People walked by quickly, not glancing at her, for which she was grateful. She turned up the collar for her Belstaff coat and put her head down, focusing on her breath and talking herself through her emotions.

"Calm down. Shut it off. Shut it off. Shut it off," she repeated to herself over and over. Chanting it. Matching it to the drumming of her feet. Anything to distract herself. She wished she could pull out her violin and play it angrily, the strings screeching, displaying her anger. But unfortunately, that would make her miss her flight. So she just kept walking.

Saleah kept her senses off while she passed through waiting, through security, through everything else. Finally, she got her things together and moved into the waiting area for the flight. As the reality of her situation finally sunk in, she felt herself breaking internally. "Can you watch my things?" she politely asked a young mother holding a sleepy toddler. "Sure," the woman agreed. Saleah bolted off in the directions of the restroom.

Running inside, she locked the stall door and began to throw up. Finally, she sank to the floor, tears rolling down her face. She wasn't sure how long she sat like that. Eventually, she opened the door and walked to the sinks to wash her face. As she patted her face dry with paper towels, a voice nearby startled her. "Are you okay, dear?"

Saleah glanced up in the mirror to see a kindly but concerned looking elderly lady behind her. "Yeah. I'm great." "Listen, honey. Sometimes you just have to let it out. It's okay, it's nothing to be ashamed of." Saleah nodded. "Thank you." The elderly lady smiled and walked out.

Walking back to her seat, she thanked the mother for watching her things and then ended up playing with the toddler until they called her flight number. As she stood up and headed toward the plane, dragging her suitcase behind her, she exhaled strongly. A fresh start. Finally.