All absorbed in their own little worlds.

I lean back in my seat and relax. A smile spread across my face when I look out the window and see New York City shimmering like a flicker of light in the water.

As we fly closer and closer, the scintillating cityscape comes into view. My jaw drops at the lofty skyscrapers, the glistening windows and metal siding of the buildings, the twisting streets that traverse the bustling metropolis below.

I feel a flutter of nervous excitement. It’s all coming together! My dreams of making it in the world of gymnastics and dance, of becoming a real star, it’s so close I...