POV: Alyona

It had been exactly eight days since I last stepped foot on campus, but it felt like a month. Being away from school gave me the space to breathe, but coming back... it felt strange. Like I’d stepped out of a time loop only to find everything moving forward without me.

Grandma insisted I needed the break. And honestly, she wasn’t wrong.

The family dinner, her fainting, and the hours we spent in the hospital after....it had all worn me thin. I hadn’t expected to see her ...