Somewhere Between Sunsets

The first thing I noticed about Los Angeles was how alive it felt.

Cars moved endlessly across glowing streets, palm trees swayed beneath the orange evening sky, and somewhere far ahead, the city lights stretched so far they looked almost unreal.

I rested my head against the cold car window, watching strangers pass by like scenes from a movie I didn't belong in.

"Lucy, at least pretend to look excited," my mother sighed from the passenger seat.

"I am trying," I muttered.

That was a lie.

Nothing about this move felt exciting to me.

Leaving home had already been hard enough, but Los Angeles felt different in the worst possible way. Too loud. Too crowded. Too perfect

Dad kept one hand on the steering wheel while the other tapped impatiently against it. Traffic surrounded us from every direction.

"once you settle in, you'll love here," he said.

People kept saying that.

As if repeating it enough times would magically make this city feel like home.

I starred outside again.

Huge billboards towered above the streets, expensive cars passed beside us, and every building looked like it belonged in some rich people's magazine.

Everything here felt beautiful.

And fake.

The sky slowly darkened into shades of purple and orange as the sun disappeared behind the city skyline. For a second, Los Angeles almost looked peaceful.

Almost.

My phone buzzed beside me.

A message from my best friend back home.

You alive yet?

I smiled a little before typing back.

Barely.

Mom suddenly pointed towards the window. "Look, lucy."

I followed her gaze.

Far above the glowing streets, the Hollywood sign stood against the fading sunset like something unreal.

Most people probably dreamed of living here.

I just wanted to survive it.

And at the moment, I had no idea Los Angeles was about to change my life completely.

By the time we finally reached our apartment building, the sky had turned completely dark.

Dad parked near the entrance while Mom immediately started talking about how "nice" everything looked.

"It's safer here than our old neighborhood," she said while stepping out of the car. "And look at the view."

I climbed out slowly, stretching my stiff legs before looking up at the building in front of us.

Tall.

Modern.

Expensive-looking.

Definitely not home.

People walked past us carrying shopping bags and iced coffees like they had everything figured out. Somewhere down the street, music echoed faintly through the evening air while headlights flashed across the crowded roads.

Los Angeles never seemed to slow down.

Dad opened the trunk. "Lucy, grab some of the smaller boxes."

I picked one up without answering.

The elevator ride to the apartment felt awkwardly quiet. Mom looked excited, Dad looked exhausted, and I just felt out of place.

When the apartment door finally opened, Mom smiled instantly.

"Okay," she breathed. "This is actually beautiful."

The apartment was bigger than I expected. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking glowing city streets below, and soft orange lights from nearby buildings filled the room.

I should've liked it.

But all I could think about was how my old room probably still looked exactly the same without me in it.

Dad set a box near the kitchen. "You'll get the room neat the balcony."

"Lucky me."

Mom gave me a look. "Can you try not to hate everything for at least one night?"

"I am trying not to."

"Lucy-"

"No, it's fine," I interrupted quietly. "Really."

But it wasn't.

Nothing about this felt real yet.

I carried another box toward my room before anyone could continue the conversation.

The room was still half empty except for stacked boxes near the walls and a mattress resting on the floor.

I walked toward the balcony doors and slid them open.

Warm air immediately brushed against my skin.

From up there, Los Angeles looked endless.

The city lights stretched beneath the dark sky while cars moved through the streets like rivers of gold and white.

Beautiful.

Lonely.

I leaned against the railing and pulled my phone from my pocket again.

Three new messages from Ava.

A picture of our usual diner.

Another of our friend group.

Then:

It already feels weird without you here.

My chest tightened a little.

For the first time since arriving in LA, I almost wanted to cry.

I quickly locked my phone before the feeling could get worse.

Crying on the first night in Los Angeles felt pathetic somehow.

Behind me, I could hear Mom unpacking things in the kitchen while Dad argued with someone on the phone about paperwork or schedules or something equally boring.

Same as always.

I stepped back inside and dropped onto the mattress with a tired sigh.

The room smelled like cardboard boxes and fresh paint.

Not exactly comforting.

A soft knock came from the doorway a few seconds later.

Mom leaned against the frame with two paper cups in her hands.

"I bought hot chocolate," she said carefully, like she was testing my mood first.

I sat up slightly. "You're bribing me?"

"It's working, isn't it?"

That earned the smallest smile from me.

She walked over and handed me one of the cups before sitting beside me on the mattress.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The city light spilled through the balcony doors, covering the room in soft gold and orange shadows.

"It's okay to miss home," Mom said quietly.

I stared down at the cup in my hands. "I know."

"You'll adjust eventually."

"That's what everyone keeps saying."

"Because it's true."

I looked over at her. "Did you ever actually want to move here?"

She hesitated.

"A little," she admitted. "Your father's been wanting this opportunity for years."

"So this was more his dream than ours?"

"Lucy."

"What?" I laughed softly. "I'm just asking."

Mom sighed tiredly. "Sometimes life changes whether we're ready or not."

I hated how reasonable that sounded.

Dad suddenly appeared near the doorway, loosening his tie as he looked between us.

"Good news," he said.

"That sound dangerous already," I muttered.

He ignored that. "Your college orientation starts Monday."

The smile disappeared from my face immediately.

"you're kidding."

"Nope."

"It's literally my second day here."

"That's usually how college works."

I fell back dramatically onto the mattress. "This city is trying to kill me."

Mom laughed slightly while Dad shook his head.

"You'll survive."

I stared at the ceiling.

Yeah.

I hoped so too.

The next morning, I woke up to sunlight pouring directly onto my face.

For a second, I forgot where I was.

Then the unfamiliar ceiling, the half-unpacked boxes, and the distant sound of traffic outside reminded me.

Los Angeles.

Unfortunately.

I groaned and pulled a pillow over my face.

Somewhere in the apartment, Mom was already awake. I could hear cabinets opening and the faint smell of coffee drifting through the air.

Way too cheerful for eight in the morning.

After forcing myself out of bed, I shuffled toward the kitchen in oversized pajamas and tied my messy hair into a loose bun halfway there.

Mom looked up from the counter. "Good morning."

"It really isn't."

"You say that every morning."

"Because mornings are terrible every morning."

Dad sat at the counter scrolling through emails on the tablet while barely touching his coffee.

"You should go explore the neighborhood today," he said without looking up.

I grabbed a piece of toast. "Or I could stay inside forever."

"Healthy mindset."

"I try."

Mom slid a small paper across the counter toward me.

"What's this?"

"Your college schedule."

I stared at it like it personally offended me.

Orientation.

Campus tour.

Student meeting.

Fantastic.

"You're acting like we sent you to prison," Dad muttered.

I looked at him blankly. "At least prison wouldn't have influencers."

Mom almost laughed into her coffee.

Dad finally looked up. "Lucy, not everyone here is fake."

"You've been here three days. How would you know?"

"Because unlike you, I'm trying to give this place a chance."

The words landed harder than he probably intended.

Silence settled across the kitchen for a second.

I immediately looked away, guilt mixing uncomfortably with irritation.

Dad sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Look... I know this is difficult."

"Then stop acting like I'm supposed to love it already."

Nobody said anything after that.

Outside the apartment windows, the city was already awake. Cars moved endlessly through the streets below while sunlight reflected off tall glass buildings.

Everything in Los Angeles seemed too bright.

Too fast.

Too alive.

And somehow, I still felt completely stuck.

Around an hour later, Mom finally gave up on trying to unpack everything and pointed toward the apartment door.

"Go outside for a bit."

I looked up from my phone. "Why?"

"Because you've been lying on that mattress staring at the ceiling for almost an hour."

"I'm processing my trauma."

"You're being dramatic."

"Thank you."

Mom crossed her arms. "Lucy."

I groaned loudly before forcing myself up. "Fine. But if I get kidnapped by rich LA psychopaths, that's on you."

Dad didn't even look up from his laptop. "Please stop watching crime documentaries."

"No promises."

A few minutes later, I steppes outside the apartment building with my headphones around my neck and absolutely no idea where I was going.

The evening air felt warmer than back home, carrying the smell of coffee, car exhaust, and something sweet from a nearby bakery.

Los Angeles looked different during the day.

Still beautiful.

Still fake.

People waled past me dressed like they belonged on magazine covers while expensive cars rolled through the street like it was normal.

Maybe here, it was.

I shoved my hands into the pocket of my hoodie and continued walking down the sidewalk.

Everywhere I looked, people seemed busy living lives that already fit perfectly together.

Meanwhile, I felt like someone who accidentally walked into the wrong movie set.

A small cafe near the corner caught my attention, mostly because it looked quieter than everything else around it.

I stepped inside.

The smell of coffee instantly filled the air while soft music played somewhere overhead. A few college students sat near the windows with laptops open, laughing about something I couldn't hear.

Lucky them.

I moved toward the counter.

The girl working there smiled politely. "What can I get for you?"

I stared at the menu for a second too long.

Why did the coffee places always sound like they were inventing words?

"Uh..." I pointed randomly. "That one."

She glanced at the menu. "The vanilla cold brew?"

"Yeah. That."

"Name."

"Lucy."

After paying, I moved aside to wait for my drink.

That's when I heard it.

"You seriously think Ethan's showing up Monday?"

I glanced over without meaning to.

Two girls around my age sat near the window, both dressed like they'd walked out of social media ads.

The blonde laughed. "Please. Ethan barely shows up anywhere."

"Still, if he does, half the girls there are going to lose their minds."

"Not my fault he's hot."

I rolled my eyes slightly and looked away.

Of course Los Angeles had boys famous enough to become public discussion topics in coffee shops.

A second later, the cafe door opened again.

And suddenly, the entire atmosphere changed.

I didn't look up immediately.

At first, I just noticed reactions.

The girl near the window stopped talking mid-sentence.

Someone behind me quietly whispered, "Oh my god."

Even the cashier straightened slightly like she suddenly remembered how to breathe properly.

That alone was enough to make me curious.

So, against my better judgement, I looked up.

And there he was.

Tall.

Dark hoodie, messy black hair, silver rings on his finger, and the kind of expression that made him look permanently annoyed at the world.

He walked into the cafe like he owned it without actually trying to.

A few people glanced at him.

He ignored all of them.

"See?" one of the girls whispered dramatically to her friend. "I told you."

Ethan Hale.

Apparently.

He moved toward the counter, phone in one hand while other pushed his hair back lazily.

The cashier smiled way too brightly. "Hi, Ethan."

"Hey."

That was it.

One word.

And somehow everyone still looked interested.

Weird.

I grabbed my drink the second my name was called.

"Lucy?"

"Yeah."

I reached for the cup at the exact same moment someone walked past me.

My shoulder slammed into theirs.

The drink slipped from my hand instantly.

Cold coffee splashed everywhere.

Perfect.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry-"

I stopped midsentence when I realized who I'd bumped into.

Ethan looked down at the coffee stains across the sleeve of his black hoodie before slowly raising his eyes to mine.

And wow.

This guy genuinely looked irritated by human existence.

"That was impressive," He said flatly.

I stared at him. "You walked into me."

"You were standing in the middle of the way."

"I was literally picking up my drink."

"Tragic."

I blinked once in disbelief.

Was this guy serious?

Behind him, I could practically feel the entire cafe watching us.

Probably because nobody here was used to someone talking back to their precious Ethan Hale.

"Well," I muttered, "nice to know rich people here are annoying too."

For the first time since walking in, his expression changed slightly.

Not softer.

Just interested.

"You new here?"

I crossed my arms. "Was it that obvious?"

"The attitude gave it away."

I almost laughed at that.

Almost.

Instead, I grabbed a handful of napkins from the counter. "Maybe try not walking into strangers next time."

"Maybe hold your drink properly next time."

God, I already hated him.

And somehow, that seemed to amuse him even more.

I wiped coffee from my sleeve with unnecessary aggression while Ethan leaned casually against the counter like none of this mattered to him at all.

Which somehow made him more irritating.

The cashier handed him his drink carefully. "Your usual."

"Thanks."

One of the girls near the window was openly staring now.

Actually several people were.

Meanwhile, Ethan looked completely used to attention.

I grabbed my own cup again before this situation could become even more embarrassing.

"Well," I said dryly, "this has been deeply unpleasant."

A small smirk appeared on his face.

And annoyingly enough, it looked good on him.

"Glad I could help."

I turned to leave before he could say anything else.

But right as I reached the door, his voice stopped me.

"Hey."

I looked back reluctantly.

"What?"

"You never said your name."

I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Why would I?"

That same amused look appeared again.

"Fair point."

Then his phone buzzed.

The expression on his face changed instantly.

It was subtle, but noticeable.

The amusement disappeared like someone switched it off.

He glanced at the screen, jaw tightening slightly before answering.

"Yeah."

A pause.

"I said I'm coming."

Another pause.

Then: "I know."

The tone in his voice was colder now. Controlled.

Different.

For the first time since meeting him, he didn't look arrogant.

Just tired.

I looked away before he noticed I was staring.

Not my problem.

Outside, the evening sky had started turning orange again, sunlight reflecting off the glass buildings around me.

I walked down the sidewalk, taking a sip of my coffee.

Still cold.

Still overpriced.

Still better than that conversation.

But somehow, as I kept walking through the crowded streets of Los Angeles, my mind kept drifting back to the boy in the black hoodie.

Ethan Hale.

The guy everyone seemed obsessed with.

The guy who looked like he had everything.

And somehow still seemed unhappy.

By the time I made it back to the apartment, the sky outside had darkened into deep shades of blue and orange.

The city looked prettier at night.

Almost enough to make me forget how exhausting it was.

Almost.

I pushed open the apartment door and immediately smelled takeout food.

Mom looked up from the kitchen island. "Finally. I was starting to think LA kidnapped you already."

"Disappointingly, no."

Dad laughed quietly from the couch while scrolling through something on his laptop.

"How was your exploring?"

I kicked off my shoes near the door. "Expensive."

"That bad?"

"I paid seven dollars for coffee."

Dad winced. "Okay, yeah. That's criminal."

For the first time all day, the conversation actually felt normal.

Small.

Easy.

I sat beside the kitchen counter while mom handed me a plate.

"So?" she asked casually. "Meet anyone interesting?"

Immediately Ethan face flashed through my mind.

Annoying smirk included.

Unfortunately.

"No," I answered quickly.

Mom raised an eyebrow like she didn't believe me but let it go.

I picked at my food quietly while the city lights glowed through the windows behind us.

"You'll like college once classes start," Dad said after a while.

"Doubt it."

"Positive thinking really isn't your thing, huh?"

"Not recently."

A silence followed that one.

Not awkward exactly.

Just heavy.

Dad finally closed it laptop and looked at me properly for the first time that evening.

"Lucy."

I glanced up.

"We know you didn't want this move."

That alone surprised me a little.

Dad usually skipped emotional conversations whenever possible.

"But we didn't do this to make your life harder," he continued. "I took this job because I thought it would give us something better."

I looked down at my plate.

"I know."

"And maybe right now it feels terrible, "Mom added softly, "but that doesn't mean it always will."

For once, I didn't argued back.

Because honestly?

Part of me wanted them to be right.

Later that night, I stood alone on the balcony again, the warm California air brushing softly against my skin.

Somehow below, music echoed through the streets while headlights moved endlessly through the city.

Los Angeles never slept.

I rested my arms against the railing and closed my eyes for a second.

Then I heard it.

Laughter from somewhere below.

I looked down instinctively.

A black car had pulled up near the building entrance.

And leaning casually against it, phone in hand, was Ethan Hale.

Of course it was him.

Like the universe had decided one awkward encounter wasn't enough for a single day.

From above, he somehow looked even more untouchable surrounded by flashing headlights and city lights.

One of his friend said something that made him laugh quietly before Ethan glanced upward for no reason at all.

Straight toward my balcony.

Our eyes met for half a second.

And weirdly enough, I was the first one to look away.

I stepped back from the railing almost immediately, annoyed at myself for reacting at all.

Why did that feel embarrassing?

It wasn't like I'd been caught doing something illegal.

I just didn't like the idea of him noticing me twice in one day.

Below, I could still hear faint laughter drifting up from the street. Curiosity got the better of me for exactly two seconds before I looked down again.

Ethan was still there, leaning against the car while one of his friend talked animatedly beside him.

Even from up here, he stood out too easily.

Annoyingly so.

A girl walked over and wrapped her arms around his shoulder from behind. Ethan barely reacted, like he was used to random affection from strangers.

The girl said something that made his friend laugh.

Ethan didn't.

Instead, he looked distracted.

His attention shifted back toward his phone again, expression unreadable beneath the city lights.

Then another car pulled up beside them.

A black SUV.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

I noticed it immediately this time.

One second his friends were relaxed.

The next, everyone seemed quieter.

The driver's door opened, and an older man stepped out wearing a dark suit despite the late hour.

Even from this far away, there was something intimidating about him.

Ethan straightened slightly the moment he saw him.

Not nervous exactly.

Just... careful.

The man said something sharp enough that even I could tell it wasn't friendly.

Ethan replied, short and controlled.

No attitude.

No sarcasm.

Completely different from the guy in the cafe earlier.

The man glanced briefly toward Ethan's friends before saying something else.

A few seconds later, Ethan opened the passenger door of the SUV without argument and got inside.

The car drove away almost immediately.

I stayed there for a moment longer, staring at the empty street below.

Weird.

That entire interaction felt strange.

Like watching someone switch personalities in seconds.

"Lucy?"

I turned around to see Mom standing near the balcony door.

"It's late."

"Yeah," I murmured, taking one last glance toward the street before stepping back inside.

But even after lying in bed later that night, one thought kept replaying in my head.

Ethan Hale looked like the kind of person who belonged everywhere.

So why did he look trapped?

Monday arrived way too fast.

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror staring at myself like the right outfit was somehow going to magically fix my life.

Spoiler: it wasn't.

"You're going to be late," Mom called from the kitchen."

"I'm considering running away instead."

"That's not a solution."

"It's a very good solution."

I finally settled on jeans, a black hoodie, and enough effort to look alive without looking like I tried too hard.

College orientation.

Favorite nightmare.

By the time Dad parked outside campus, my anxiety had already reached dangerous levels.

The campus itself looked ridiculous.

Huge buildings.

Palm trees everywhere.

Student walking around laughing like they belonged there already.

I hated all of them immediately.

Dad looked over before I opened the car door. "You'll be okay."

"That confidence is inspiring considering neither of us believes it."

"Lucy."

"I'm kidding. Mostly."

Mom smiled softly from the front seat. "Just give it one chance."

I nodded vaguely before stepping out of the car.

Warm sunlight hit my face almost instantly while voices echoed around the crowded campus.

Too many people.

Too much noise.

Too much everything.

I adjusted the strap of my bag and started walking toward the main building, trying not to look as lost as I felt.

Which apparently failed.

"You look confused."

I turned to see a girl around my age standing beside me holding an iced coffee.

Long brown hair, bright smile, very confident energy.

"I'm trying to hide it," I admitted.

"You're new?"

"That obvious?"

"A little."

I sighed dramatically. "Great."

She laughed. "Relax. Everyone looks terrified during orientation."

"Good. Suffering together build community."

That made her laugh harder.

"I'm Maya," She said, holding out her hand.

"Lucy."

"Well, Lucy, lucky for you, I'm avoiding responsibility today, so I can save you from wandering around campus alone."

"Honestly? You might be my favorite person in Los Angeles already."

"Low standards, but I'll take it."

For the actual first time since arriving here, smiling actually felt natural.

Maya walked beside me as we headed toward crowded orientation area.

"So where'd you move from?" She asked.

"Small town. Very boring. Very not-LA."

"Yeah, this place is kind of insane."

"You noticed too?"

"Oh, absolutely. Half the people here act like they're in a reality show."

"I knew it."

Before Maya could answer, sudden shouting erupted somewhere nearby.

A crowd of students turned toward the parking area almost instantly.

"What now?" I muttered.

Maya looked over and groaned softly.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"What?"

She glanced at me.

"That," She said, "is Ethan Hale."

I followed Maya's gaze toward the parking area.

And immediately understood why everyone was staring.

A black motorcycle had just pulled into campus far too fast, stopping near the entrance while students moved out of the way.

The guy removing his helmet looked painfully familiar.

Messy dark hair.

Black hoodie.

Annoyingly calm expression.

Ethan Hale.

Of course.

"Why does everyone react like a celebrity just walked in?" I asked.

"Because this school has issues," Maya replied.

Students whispered as Ethan walked past them without acknowledging anyone.

Some girls stared openly.

One guy muttered something under his breath that earned him a middle finger from Ethan without him even slowing down.

"That's incredible," I said before I could stop myself.

Maya laughed. "Trust me, he's worse once you know him."

Somehow, Ethan glanced in our direction at the exact wrong moment.

His eyes landed on me instantly.

Recognition flashed across his face for half a second.

Then came the faintest smirk.

Oh no.

"No," I muttered immediately.

Maya looked confused. "What?"

"I already hate him."

"You've spoken to him?"

"Unfortunately."

Ethan kept walking toward the building entrance, but just before disappearing inside, he looked back once.

Like he found something amusing.

Which only irritated me more.

And somehow, standing there in the middle of a campus full of strangers, I got the strange feeling Ethan Hale was about to become a much bigger problem in my life than I wanted him to be.

Thanks for reading.

NEW CHAPTER COMING SOON!