It was the middle of the afternoon. I watched the sun glare off my mother's black car as she rounded the corner and slowed to a halt in front of my freshman dorm. Just two months earlier, I crossed the threshold from adolescence and started my first year of college. It was my first time going home.

I adjusted the awkward grasp on my duffle bag and clambered out of the shadows towards the car. As I stepped out of the cool air, I felt a bead of sweat slide down my forehead. I sighed, wiping it away with the back of my hand as I settled into the backseat. I was mentally spent, having just finished my last final exam. The car pulled away from the curb. I closed my eyes, the rumble of the engine lulling me into a deep sleep.

When I awoke, we had reached the outskirts of my hometown. The sun was low in the sky, hovering just above the horizon. We were driving along the beach. I rolled my window down, greeted by a gust of cool air. Stretching my fingers wide, I felt the breeze swirl around my fingers. I inhaled deeply, the salty air overwhelming my senses.

Hues of red and yellow and orange danced across the sky, stretching further and further until they gradually faded into blues and purples. The clouds clustered together, chasing the sun further into the ocean. Birds circled overhead, their shadows dotting the sky.

As the road curved away from the beach, feelings of familiarity washed over me. The longer we drove, the further we entered into suburbia. I watched my childhood pass by as we got closer and closer to my house. Resting my elbow on the window sill, I took in the swings of the park I spent hours in as a kid, and the houses of friends I grew up playing in. It was comforting.

By the time we turned the corner onto my street, the moon steadily rose into the sky, casting a dim glow. The car slowed and settled into the driveway after the long six-hour drive. As the hum of the engine cut off, it became still. I paused for a moment. I got out of the car, looking up at my childhood home. The stress of final exams was long forgotten, replaced by a blanketing sense of calm. I smiled.

I was home.