"Zoy!"

Her heart stopped as she heard her best friend, Lev's voice. Sighing, she dropped her shoulders and turned around to face him. Zoyechka had been hoping that she could board the boat long before Lev noticed but she should have known better. Now here she was as the rain soaked through her clothes, staring at the man that she had known her entire life.

Lev had been her best friend since they were children. Their families were two of a four that shared a communal apartment. They had grown up poor and the only amusement Zoyechka and Lev had were to talk about when they grew up and where their lives would take them. Thinking back on it now, as she waited for him to finish the last few steps towards her, she could feel the tears sting her eyes. She knew deep down that neither one of them had planned to ever leave Russia.

"Lev, how did you find me?"

She turned her dark eyes on him. Her stare was intense and she could see him bristle against him as he looked back. Both were headstrong and more often then not she had allowed him to win the arguments. She wanted nothing more than peace which is why she had tried to sneak off in the middle of the night, before the sun rose to the boats that would send her far away from her own country and Lev.

Irritatingly he shrugged his shoulders, wrapping his arm around her and trying to steer her back towards home. Her feet firmly planted on the street when she realized what he was doing and she snapped her head to look up at him.

"We need money and we will not get it staying here. You can care for our families while I am away." Zoyechka stepped away from him and started to walk back towards the docks.

"Zoy don't be stupid. Women cannot work! You need to be home with the family." He spoke to her as if she was merely an errant girl running away from home. Biting back a snark retort, she raised her hands up and shrugged.

"You were not going to go make money. You love our country, as I do but you refuse to set foot off the land. We need the money to make our lives work and women can work in America. I've heard stories and I am willing to take a chance. You either come with me, or go back to our families. I'll write. I promise!"

"Z, you hate writing letters, and you know they will be read along the way."

"That is why we have our code. Now go home, Lev. This is hard enough already."

With those words, she didn't pause to see if he did as she asked but instead turned and walked to the docks quickly. Before her nerve fell and the tears came. Once upon the boat she settled herself in for the long journey ahead.

Time seemed to stand still. She wondered if they were ever going to make it to America as she walked along the deck of the boat. It was then that her eyes fell upon land. She refused to go back below deck until they were docked along the shore. Nervously she picked up her small sack of belongings and went down walkway.

There was a long line of people that were entering New York from the boat so as she waited in line she imagined what stories these people had that brought them so far from home. Were they like her? Searching for money to help her family? Or were they solely here for themselves to get rich quick? The stories in foreign countries was that America had opportunities that no where else did. Where would these opportunities land her? What work was in store for a young girl like herself?

Finally passing through and being allowed into the city, she looked in awe as many people bustled about. Grabbing her sack, she went off to seek out whatever adventure was in store for her. She'd write to Lev a little later when she got somewhere settled. So with her few dollars in hand, she made her way through the streets.