The scorching sun beat down, making sweat prickle at my temples as I stood in the seemingly endless queue at the train station. My mum, Claudia, stood beside me, radiating an excitement I couldn't quite share.

"You will love New York City, sweetie," she’d chirped, her usual mantra. "You have nothing to worry about." My grip tightened on my bag, the familiar anxiety knotting in my stomach. A new environment always brought this on.

This trip, though, was different. We were going to meet my father, Nicholas Adams, a man I'd never met, who mum claimed was rich and eager to see me. I'd secretly researched his soldier's life, convinced he was dead, only for mum to spring this new reality on me. It felt too sudden, too good to be true.

Mum, oblivious to my turmoil, was now beaming, telling strangers in line about my scholarship to a big New York school. I forced a smile, my mind racing. A new school, a new city, a new father... my life was about to change, whether I was ready or not.