8 years ago...

"Don't kill me... Please, Mama!!" I see a light and a glimpse of a baby girl holding her hands to me. When I reach out to her, she scatters away into thousands of fireflies.

"No!!" I scream and open my eyes wide. Bright light blinds my eyes making me realise that it was just a dream.

"Are you alright child?" A voice calls out beside me. I regain my strength trying to remember what was happening. I fainted before. They were going to abort my baby. Asher broke my heart. Abid and Sam are dead. My friends left my side. Where am I? I look around to see that I am in an operation theater. Beside me stood a worrying nurse and an old doctor.

"Are you alright my child?" The doctor ask me again as he pat my shoulder. Then I cried. I cried of my loss. I cried of my misfortune. I lost everything I loved and lost in one day. I was going to start a new life with Asher as soon as I graduate. But he gave up on me. My friends gave up on me too. Nobody cared about me. I have lost my life. I have lost all my hope. So I cried my heart out.

"It's okay child. Please don't cry. We will give you time." The doctor consoled me.

Time - Did he say I can have time. What time can I have? I have lost everything. There is nothing left for me in this world except for-

"My baby?" I ask.

"No... We haven't abort it yet." My baby. I still have my baby - My last hope.

"Please don't kill my baby. I beg you. It's my last hope. Please don't kill her."

"You are very young, child. You can have a baby later. Besides this pregnancy is complicated. It may endanger your life."

"I don't care doctor. I just need my baby. I have nothing. I have no money, no home and no one to take care. I just have this baby. Please help me save her."

"The baby can be a he too."

"No it's a her. I know that."

"Alright you can keep her at your own risk. What will you do now?"

I haven't really asked myself that question before. I had put all my trust in Asher. He asked me to come with him to Dubai after I graduate. He told me he will be my family and that we will live happily. But what will I do now? I have scholarship from MIT. Mum had applied it when she was sick and I received the offer letter yesterday. I haven't told anyone about it yet. I was going to say it to Asher today but before I could he broke my heart. I was seriously going to reject such an offer for a man like him. Even if I don't have anything else, I have this last hope. So, I decided to cling into it.

"I don't want anyone to know bout the baby. I will go from here. I have recieved a scholarship to MIT. I didn't accept their offer yet. But I will go there. Doctor, can you please help me?"

"Sure, child. But don't you think you need to inform your family or friends. You might want to discuss the baby with it's father."

"No!" I snapped. "I don't want them to know. They hurt me doctor. They will kill my baby if they know about her. I will go away from here as soon as possible. Please help me doctor. I have no one else." The doctor look like he was thinking about it. Then he said yes.

The doctor helped me to get out of the hospital without anyone seeing. Before going I asked him to sneak me to the morgue so that I could see Abid and Sam for a last time. They let me disguise as a nurse and let me see them from far. For the last time I saw each of my friends. They were no more my friends. Everyone brought great hurt to me. They didn't really care about me. All they only care about money and power than human emotions. None of them here really know what it is like to work hard to be powerful because they were born into silver spoons but I will one day show them what it is like to be powerful by earning every penny of it.

The kind doctor let me stay at his home for a night and at the early morning he arranged a flight to boston. He also helped me sneek into my dorm room to get my things. He said his son who is an medical student in harvard would help me out in boston when I reach there.

When I boarded the plane, I met an well dressed old lady who seated beside me. As the flight took off, I watched Grace town shrink beneath me. There I was all alone in a flight for the first time without knowing the place I was going to. Every emotions that was bottled inside me fall on my cheeks with wetness. The woman beside me started comforting me by engaging in her talks. She started telling me her story.

She is a scottish marchioness who was a English professor in Havard. Her late husband was a dean in MIT so she settled in america for forty six years. She had no children and lived a lonely life. She asked me to tell about myself so I told her my story. She was emotional and told me to live on. She gave me her card to contact whenever I need her.

As I landed in Boston, I had no idea what to do. Even though Dr.Nolan's son helped me drop near my campus, I didn't want to be a burden for him. He was a nice guy but I could see he didn't like to waste his time on a homeless pregnant girl. So, I send him back saying thank you. By the way he left without any second thought, I was comfirmed that he find me a burden. First day I took shelter in the college dorm room and went to look out for part time jobs. Even though it was difficult to get a job first, I was hired as a waitress in a cafe. But after a week or so, I felt tired and started vomiting repeatedly due to my hormones. Both my workplace and dorm found out about my pregnancy soon, so they both kicked me out. I was out of money and I was homeless again. All I had left is a dollar and I was desperate to find a place to stay. I called the old lady, Mrs. Cambridge to ask for her help from the public telephone with the one dollar I have left.

"Hello, Am I speaking to Mrs. Cambridge?"

"Yes. Can I know who I am speaking with?"

"Thank God its you. Mrs. Cambridge, I am Hazel, the girl you met at the plane from Scotland."

"Yes yes. I was hoping for your call, dear. How are you?" She asks.

"I'm fine. Am I calling in a bad time?"

"No dear. What Happened? Why did you call me?"

"Mrs. Cambridge, I am sorry to call you like this but I really need your help."

"Sure. What is it?"

"Mrs. Cambridge I don't have a place to sleep. I got kicked out from all the part time jobs. The dorms wont take me due to pregnancy. I dont have any money with me to find a place. I don't know what to do anymore." I sobbed. I feel vulnerable thinking, I had reached a point in my life when I have to beg to a stranger for a place to stay.

"Oh, you don't worry about that. Come stay with me. I have enough room for you and I can also take care of you and baby."

"Thank you Mrs.Cambridge. I didn't want to be a burden. As soon as first semester start, I will find a job and return your money."

"Don't talk such things child. I am alone, you are alone. But if we stay together both of us will never be alone. Where are you now?"

"I am in the public booth near MIT. I don't know much about this place yet. I brought a map and is trying to learn more."

I can relate. When I first came here, I didn't know much about this place either. Can you call for a cab and tell them to come to east of Cambridge avenue to 31. I will have the gates opened if you tell them you are my guest." I hung up the call.

'Will I be a burden to her?' I thought. I don't have another option than her so I got into a cab to her place.

As I reach my destination, I was shocked by the massive manor in front of me. It was designed like the old scottish courts. Mrs. Cambridge is indeed super rich.

I am welcomed by the servents of the manor who led me inside the house. It has the smell of old scottish wine which reminds me of my home back in grace town.

"Welcome dear. How wonderful it is to see you?" Mrs. Cambridge embraces me.

"It good to see you too, Mrs. Cambridge."

"No, call me Martha. Come on, you must be tired. Take a seat." I sit down on the Sofa. "Oh, dear. You look terrible. Didn't you eat enough for a week?"

"I didn't have enough money to buy proper food." I say softly. She is right I don't have much energy. Running from place to place to find place to stay for a night. Then finding a job for living along with this pregnancy is so exhausting.

"Oh poor child, Why didn't you call me sooner? I was just a phone call away."

"I didn't want to trouble you."

"I don't have children. Helping a poor pregnant girl is not a problem child. I like you. I already considered you as my own." Her words starts to dwell up tears in my eyes. I have never got such love and care from anyone other than my mother. It felt good talking to her.

"Thank you so much for your kind words. This means a lot to me."

"No need to say thank you. I like having people at home. What gives more pleasure to a lonely old widower. Oh, sometimes I have a visitor here. He is my husband's nephew. He studies at MIT too."

"Oh, Is it so? In which course?"

"I don't remember much. He might come tonight since its a weekend tomorrow. You can meet him then. Now come on, my sevant will show you to your room."

Her maid showed me to my room upstairs. I can't believe she has to live alone in such a big house all alone. She is kind to take me in her house. She also gave me a big room to stay. As I freshen up, It reminded myself that I would do everything possible to make Martha happy. I will not disappoint her kind heart.

Martha send me a yellow summer dress and green cardigan for dinner. I felt like a princess by her treatment. No one has treated me like this before. I have never experience such luxury since I was born into a poor house. My mother had brought me up well. Then I got into Grace. Well, that was a great experience except for the people who hurted me.

I went down for dinner. As I reach the hall I could hear Martha laughing along with her guest. They both turn as I enter the room.

"My dear girl. You dress up beautifully. Come on take a seat and let me introduce you to my husband's nephew who is like a son to me. This is Will Phellingan."

"Nice to meet you." I say to the guy beside her. He has dark green eyes and dark blond hair. He looks like an american boy next door.

"Hey. You must be Hazel. Martha was talking you about since the first time she saw you. You can call me Will." He says in his american accent.

"She is a kind lady."

"I heard you started your first year at MIT. I am a senior in CS and Automobile engineering. What about you?"

"That's good to hear. Me too Robotic designing and Automobile engineering."

"Well, that makes you my junior. I will soon become a lecturer for the first years as a part of my final research. Maybe I might have you in my class."

"Maybe." I say. Will seems like a nice guy. He is kind and humble like Martha. That night we talk lot about Martha's adventure, my story and about Will's family. They were moved by my story and promised to support me till I find my pace.

"I haven't seen Martha this happy since a long time. You makes her happy." Will says as we return to our room. Will has one beside mine.

"She makes me happy too. If I didn't ever come across her I wonder what would happen to me."

"Destiny." He says with a playing smile.

"Excuse me?"

"It was your destiny to meet her and me. Maybe this is where your life would take a new turn."

"I never understand this life. It's twisted in its own way."

"Life gives you surprises. But sometimes it's worth everything. Good night Hazel." Will say with a playful smile amd went to his room.

I walk to my own room and laid on my bed.

Life- What a mysterious thing it is. Yet, that's the whole point. Life is the only thing any human could have until his last breath and after that we would be dead.

That night, after many sleepless nights, I slept peacefully under the new warmth Martha gave me for the first time. I wont let my fate effect my baby. She will live a good life, I will make sure she does.

***
"Hazel, Did you hear me?"

"What did you say?"

"I said you need to pick up Hope from school today. You promised her."

"Thank you for reminding me. I will do that."

"What were you thinking? You were zoomed off for a bit there."

"Nothing, I was just thinking about Martha."

"She would be proud seeing you now. She always believed that you will be a powerful woman and she was so right."

"I miss her."

"So do I. Martha loved you like her own. She wanted nothing but your happiness. I promised her that in her last breath. I will try to make sure you will stay happy."

So did I. I wanted to be happy after everything I have been through. If Hope and Will is happy, I can make myself happy. This will be my sole reason to live.