Never give up

- Let's go to hell with you. I can't do that anymore! - The girl screamed and punched the table with her fist. Get acquainted. It's Kim. A girl with a rather complicated character. Now she was sitting at the table preparing for her final exams and college. Her parents are typical businessmen and part-time owners of a fabric company, who are busy working in the office all day long and come home only on weekends. Kim hardly saw them. And when parents came home, they only did what they talked about their business, without noticing Kim or paying much attention to her. Her parents only remembered her when she received an "unsatisfactory" grade according to them. Often they even forgot about her birthday. Kim's parents wanted their daughter to work with them in the future and invest all of herself in their business. But it wasn't what the girl herself wanted. She loved music all her life, and she wanted to devote her life to it, travelling around the world, performing in public and everything else. But Justin and Kira, her parents, did not share her point of view. They hated music with all their heart. If music plays in Cooper's mansion, it will be a crime. In their house, the music was strictly prohibited. Kim often ran away from home to the park, and played the guitar there from the heart. She had no friends. She studied at an elite school with all sorts of rich people who only discussed money and parents, expensive cars and fashionable clothes. Her parents wanted their daughter to communicate only with wealthy people from their circle. And the girl had nothing to talk about with her classmates. She didn't like all this. She preferred to walk in comfortable and simple clothes. Jeans, oversized T-shirts, sneakers, not in shoes, dresses and jewellery, like the rest of the students of her school. Today her parents took the guitar from her. The last thing that really gave her pleasure. And that was the end. She spent incredible efforts on her studies. Her guitar was a kind of motivation for her for the future. But now she's lost that too. Kim came out of the table, went to the cabinet and pulled out a bunch of headphones and a small player. Then she went to the window. I inhaled the fresh evening air and, swinging through the window sill, jumped out into the street. Parents obviously wouldn't like this way to leave the house, "there's a door for that," they usually said when Kim left the house this way. But now she didn't care what they said about her escape. After leaving the house, she hurried to go outside the plot and went for a walk through the streets of evening New York, simultaneously unraveling the tangled headphones. Having unraveled, she stuck them in her ears and turned on the music. She was walking. On the streets of the city that were deserted by the evening. The lanterns were lit alternately, illuminating her way. Rare passers-by went home. Others closed their shops at night and also went home. Soon, Kim's feet led him to a brick high-rise building. She climbed the iron stairs upstairs, on the roof. The girl often came here after quarrels with her parents. She liked to sit on the roofs and watch the sun hide behind the horizon. Watch how it starts to get dark and how the city lights up. Night New York is very beautiful. There are many windows in every house, lights are on. Only rare passers-by walk with their dogs. It was amazing. On this roof, Kim felt free like a bird. Pov: Kim I was sitting on the edge of the roof and listening to music. It almost always calmed me down. My mother wasn't here, who always and everywhere tried to make a doll out of me and dressed me in ugly dresses and high-heeled shoes to make me look like a "real lady". There was no dad here who told me exclusively about his work, finances and made plans for how I would work with them in their company. It's annoying. I'm sick of it. The wind developed my hair. They weren't very long now. I used to have long dark, dark blonde hair well below my shoulder blades. But after one of the quarrels with my parents, I cut them off under the square. Mom saw me... she got very angry and made me wear a wig to school for a while. "So that no one sees this slyness," she told me. Now I was sitting immersed in my thoughts. I could get up, come closer to the edge of the roof and take a step. And then all my problems would be over. But I didn't dare to do it, something inside me stopped me. It's like telling me that "You don't have to, it's not time yet, Kim." - Wait, you don't have to do it - I shuddered, I thought I was alone here. But someone persistently put his hand on my shoulder. I turned around. There was a girl about my age behind me. She had short-haired black hair with highlights. A couple of strands were painted in bright colours. She had a piercing in her nose. She was dressed in emo style with an admixture of rkp. Black sneakers, long oversized T-shirt, black joggers, belt with chains. There was a small backpack on his shoulder, with a couple of dozen icons with characters from popular anime on it. - I'm Ash, Ashley - the girl introduced herself. She never removed her hand from my shoulder. - and you shouldn't do it... Really. That's not the way out. I got up and moved away from the edge of the roof, I didn't even notice how I was on its very edge. The girl smiled and came up to me. - What do you say your name is? - she asked, and taking me by the hand led me to the stairs leading down - I haven't told you my name yet, I'm Kim. - I was able to answer her at the end - Great, nice to meet you, Kim - answered as if the girl had never happened. And by that moment we had already gone downstairs and went outside. - What you wanted to do would be wrong, don't try to do it. If you have problems - share, I'll help you with them - Ash said, turning to me. - And what to talk about here - I sobbed, and tears flowed from my eyes - my parents notice me and forbid me to do what I like. I can't do that anymore... - Quiet, quiet. You're going to flood everyone here now. There is no place for tears here. Calm down and come with me, I'll help you - the girl tried to calm me down. We were walking along the deserted streets. Ash didn't let my hand out of hers, forcing me to follow her. After a while, Ash led me to a small coffee shop, or rather a small cheap eatery with cheap fast food. I've never been to such a place, my parents banned it. But now I wasn't with them. And with his new acquaintance Ash. We went there and went inside. Ash led me to one of the tables. - Hey, John, come over - the girl called someone and a man, one of the eatery workers, hurried to us. - Yes, miss, what do you want? - asked the waiter - Burgers and soda as usual, but only for two. - Ash asked and the waiter disappeared behind his counter. - I hope you like it - the girl turned to me - by the way, I forgot to ask. You're interested in music, aren't you? - Yes, how did you find out? - I asked in surprise - You listened to music in the player - the girl said it, took something out of her pocket and put it in my hands - you dropped it there on the roof. I looked at my hands. Ash gave me my player. I didn't even notice when it fell out of my pocket. Apparently, it happened when I recouted on Ash, there, on the roof. - Thank you - I thanked the girl and a slight smile played on my lips. - Your order - a waiter came up to us and put a burger and a soda in front of me and Ashley. - Thank you, no need to give up - answered the waiter Ash and handed over the payment for the order and a huge tip. - Thank you, bon appetit - said the waiter and retreated for his counter. - You're so generous," I told Ash, when we left the diner, "you left him so much tips. - Oh, come on. Tipping - from the joke shop. It's not real money - Ashley replied laughing. - But you can't do the same," I said sadly. - Keep it simple, girl, he won't guess. I've been paying for orders with fake money for half a year. He still didn't understand anything - Ash said, still smiling. 3 YEARS LATER: It's been more than three years. That day completely changed my life. I changed my image. I began to devote more time to my favourite business. I've had a girlfriend since that day. We were inseparable from her. Ash turned out to be a cool man. She was cheerful, charismatic, but at the same time she always supported me and remained serious in the most difficult situations. Ashley introduced me to her friends. They were all as fond of music as I was. We created our own rock band together. Surprisingly, my parents helped us with this. Over the past three years, my relationship with my parents has improved. My father didn't insist that I work with them in the future. Thanks to Ashley's support, I was able to enrol in the music college of my dreams. One day, changed my life by 180°. I finally became happy, and I'm glad I met Ash. If she hadn't met me that day, my story would have had a tragic end. Never give up. That's what you have to understand in this life. There will always come a day that will radically change your life