Inri Fales has begun a new chapter.
After seeing her high school years defined by tragedy, the 19-year-old has found a brighter picture in college.
With one semester at the University of Central Florida under her belt, Inri finally lives in a house with three girls that doesn’t face foreclosure or a sudden loss of its utilities.
She is living on her own terms.
“I like it (in Orlando),” Inri said in a telephone interview.
“I’d like it a little bit better if I had more time and money,” she added with a laugh.
Since August she’s focused on classes in Chemistry, Biology, English and Trigonometry. She postponed getting a job while she acclimated to her new life, but plans to look for one next semester.
She made it through the first one with help from a Bright Futures Scholarship, a Pell Grant and occasional help from her boyfriend.
“I think I needed that semester to get used to college and everything,” Inri said.
After her brother committed suicide, her father died from cancer and her mother up and left, Inri was left with a home in Crestview and no way to pay the bills.
The house was foreclosed after she left for UCF with her collections, furniture and memories inside. She’s at peace with that.
“There’s not really a great attachment to those things anymore,” Inri said.
She’s spending Christmas with her boyfriend’s family, who are caring for her cats and dog until she gets a place where she can have them with her.
For now, her love of animals is satisfied with a bunny her boyfriend got her. She named it Batman.
Inri had a quiet realization one recent night as she watched television with her boyfriend and Batman hopped around the room.
“I was happy.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.
