* I do not own any of these characters! The following story takes place in modern day 2016, in the states (since I don't know much about Canada)! Here, Hope Valley is a quiet suburb somewhere in the central US. Please review!

Chapter 1: Goodbye Manhattan

Elizabeth woke up to the sound of her phone alarm blaring and groaned as she rolled over to turn it off. Today is the day. I've done all of my certifications and am moving to the new school. Goodbye busy Manhattan. Hello quiet Hope Valley.

She jumped out of bed and went to check her e-mail, hoping that all of her travel arrangements would be on time. Her dad had insisted on the company driver take her to the airport, especially since she had four bags stuffed to the brim with clothes and books. As per usual, her father was too busy playing CEO to the state's biggest investment firm to say goodbye to her.

She had an hour before the driver was due; she headed to the bathroom to get ready. I am so excited to be leaving. I really need a step back from all this privilege I've had my whole life. This will be a hard journey, I'm sure. No driver, no personal chef, no doorman.. I just need to focus on bettering myself in every way! I hope all of those cooking lessons will pay off when I actually need to fend for myself..

As she stepped out of the shower and went to grab her hair dryer, she was suddenly taken back to three months ago. Three months ago, it had suddenly starting pouring as she and Charlie had been coming back from their morning run. They had run into her apartment, laughing at their soaking wet hair and shoes. They had gone to the bathroom to dry their hair, when Charlie suddenly stopped laughing and stared right into Elizabeth's bright blue eyes.

"You look so beautiful. I love you Liz. I have since we met at the sandbox in kindergarten. I always have. Please reconsider my request. I'm starting at the new job soon, and you'll get your dream job at Manhattan Prep. It's the best timing. I don't want to be just your best friend. I want to be your boyfriend too." Her heart had stopped - she still had not told him that she had cancelled all of her Manhattan Prep interviews in order to make all of her Hope Valley interviews. She had not told him that she would be moving thousands of miles away.

"Charlie… I'm moving to Hope Valley. It's a small suburb in the central US.. I'm leaving in three months. I decided I did not want to teach at the school where every kid is bound to end up on Wall Street. I want to go teach and truly inspire kids. I've never thought of you in a romantic way, and I don't think I ever will." His face turned pale and his brown eyes were tearing up. His heart was broken once again, knowing that not only was she rejecting him, but she was also moving thousands of miles away from him.

"I have to go." That was the last time she had seen him. He had called a few times after that, extremely drunk and slurring all sorts of romantics and insults. He was so upset and she had begun to ignore every single call or text.

She began to blow dry her hair and tried to get him out of her head. He had chosen to end the friendship in a horrid way, and she was not going to try and do anything about it. If he wanted to be a child about it, then so be it. She threw on her favorite jeans and sweater, and looked around her bare apartment. Her dad had bought the whole building, complete with three different apartments: one for Julie, one for Viola, and one for herself. It had been so much fun to live next door to her sisters, but still have her own space to run away to when they got a little too rowdy.

She went up to the second floor to say bye to Viola, her fashion designer sister who spent more time with her iPhone than she did with her own family. Of course, she was talking on her phone at a mile a minute, screaming about some last minute shipment gone missing. She smiled at Elizabeth, and then frowned at her simple outfit. She gestured to her living room full of heels and Elizabeth shook her head, laughing at her sister who tried to get her in heels before heading into the midwest. She gave her a kiss on the cheek and a deep hug, as Viola began to tear up and wave goodbye. Elizabeth quietly left her apartment and could hear her stressed sister yelling at her assistant.

Elizabeth walked up to the penthouse to say goodbye to Julie, her sweet younger sister. She was an English major at NYU, and a hopeless romantic. She had her heart broken twice in her freshman year before swearing off all relationships. When Elizabeth knocked on the door, a shirtless guy with a towel answered the door and Julie was at the stove, cooking breakfast. "Oh Lizzie! I'll miss you so much. I'll be out to visit in just a few months, once my semester is over. Don't mind Cedric. He's just here to help me with my research paper." Elizabeth smiled at her sister, hoping that Cedric wouldn't just be another mistake.

She went down to her own apartment to grab all of her bags. She looked around her place one last time before locking it up and heading outside. She wasn't surprised when all four of her calls to her dad went straight to voicemail. *Leaving now, driver here. Don't work too hard. Xo, Elizabeth :)*. He could ignore all the calls and voice messages he wanted, but he would have to look at his text messages eventually.

The driver had arrived and they began their journey to the airport. Elizabeth looked out the window, taking in her city as much as she could. The newsstand outside her building, the suits running to the subway, the sun shining through the trees. She would miss her home, but she was looking forward to the quiet suburb life for the first time ever. Her phone rang, with Charlie's face on the screen. *Ignore* I don't want to hear what else he has to say to me. He had three months to do so.

She boarded the first of three flights, not looking forward to the long travel time until she would be at her new place in Hope Valley. The plane took off and she looked down at her home, her city, her life.

Goodbye Manhattan.