It felt strange waking up in my own bed again. The sheets still smelled like lavender, the walls still held the posters I hadn't taken down since I was seventeen, and yet… nothing about me felt the same.
Aunt Grace had already left for work, but she'd made breakfast. Toast. Eggs. A folded napkin. And a sticky note that read:
"I'm proud of you. Always here. — Aunt G."
I stared at the note longer than I should have as my eyes blurred. For the first time in a long while, I felt like someone saw me. Not the broken version. Just… me.
Walking through the school gates felt heavier than I expected. Everything looked the same, students huddled in their usual groups, laughter echoing through the halls, but I wasn't the same girl who walked out those gates weeks ago.
Talia found me before I reached the main building.
"Hey you," she said, tugging me into a hug. "You okay?"
I nodded. "Trying to be."
Her arm looped through mine. "You're stronger than you think."
That sentence sat with me all morning, even as I tried to blend into the day.
It was during lunch break that he came.
Daniel.
He caught me off guard leaning against the edge of the hallway wall like something out of a Netflix teen drama. His smile was subtle, like he wasn't sure if he was allowed to fully have it.
"Hey," he said.
I blinked. "Hey."
"You, uh… you look good," he offered, then scratched the back of his neck. "I mean, you always do. But..."
"It's fine," I cut in, awkward but amused.
There was a pause. Then he said, "Would you maybe wanna hang out sometime? Just… you and me?"
My heart did a weird flip. I wasn't ready for this. Or maybe I was. I didn't know. But something in me whispered say yes… and another part begged me to run.
I gave a small, nervous smile. "Maybe." That one word lit something in his face.
"I'll take a maybe," he said, grinning before he walked off.
That night, I sat by my window, knees to my chest as I tried to put words into text.
'Daniel asked me out today. I said maybe. It's strange… his voice sounds familiar sometimes. Like a memory I haven't fully remembered yet. Is that crazy? Maybe it is. Maybe it's just the past haunting me again. Still… I feel like I'm standing on the edge of something. I just don't know what yet.'
I didn't sleep well that night.
The invitation sat in my mind like a whisper I couldn't silence. I kept seeing Daniel's smile, easy, confident. It shouldn't have made my stomach flutter, not after everything. But it did. And that annoyed me.
I buried my head in my pillow, then tossed it aside. I wasn't the same girl I used to be. I'd built walls. I had reasons. And yet…here I was…picking out clothes in my head for a date I wasn't even sure I wanted.
The next morning, Aunt Grace knocked gently on my door.
"You're up early," she said, peeking in. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah," I lied. "Just couldn't sleep."
She entered and sat beside me. "You sure?"
I nodded slowly. "I… Daniel asked me to go out with him. Like, a date."
Her eyes searched mine. I could see the concern forming before she even said a word. "And what did you say?"
"I said yes."
I looked down at my hands. "I don't know why. I just… I panicked. I didn't want to seem weird or broken."
"You're not broken, Ava."
Her voice was firm, yet kind. "You don't have to do anything you're not ready for."
"I know," I whispered.
There was a silence between us. Not uncomfortable. Just thoughtful. Aunt Grace reached for my hand and held it gently.
"When is it?"
"Tomorrow."
She gave a small nod, then stood up. "You don't owe anyone anything. But if you do go, be honest with yourself."
After she left, I stared at the ceiling. I didn't even know what I felt. Nervous? Curious? Terrified? Maybe a little bit of everything.
~Later at school~
Talia met me at my locker, a big grin already on her face. "You said yes, didn't you?"
I sighed. "I did."
She squealed a little too loudly, drawing attention from a few students nearby. "You have to let me help you pick something to wear."
"It's not a big deal," I murmured.
"Not a big deal? Ava, come on. This is your first date since…" She paused, catching herself. "I mean… it's kind of a big deal."
I didn't respond. She didn't mean any harm, but it still hit differently.
We walked to class in silence after that, both lost in thought. I knew she was excited for me. But there was a whole side of this story she didn't know. A truth I wasn't sure she or anyone could handle.
At Evening…
Back home, I stood in front of my closet, staring blankly at my clothes. Talia had insisted I send her pictures of my options. I tried on three different outfits before finally settling on a simple black blouse and jeans. Clean, safe, me.
I didn't want to dress up like I was okay when I wasn't.
The next morning passed in a blur. Classes felt unusually slow. Even lunch didn't taste the same. Every time Daniel passed by, I felt like my skin was too tight.
He wasn't just a guy anymore. He was a reminder.
And still, when he texted: Still on for after school?, I found myself typing Yes, even before I had time to question it.
After school.
We walked to a quiet little café not far from school. It wasn't fancy, just warm and soft around the edges. I felt oddly at peace there until I realized he was watching me.
"You okay?" he asked.
I nodded too quickly. "Just tired."
He didn't push. Instead, he talked about random things like his weird history teacher, his younger sister, how he hated olives but loved olive oil. I found myself laughing without meaning to.
For a while, it was nice and normal.
Then he leaned forward. "Can I ask you something personal?"
I froze.
"Yeah?" I grinned off a cute smile
His eyes softened. "Have I done something to make you uncomfortable before? I feel like… you're always holding back around me."
I blinked.
My throat dried.
Was this the moment? Did I tell him? Did I confess that every time I saw his face, a part of me screamed aches and another part whispered confusion?
"I…"
I looked down at my cup.
"I've just been through some stuff. That's all."
He nodded, not pushing. "I'm not trying to pry. I just want you to feel safe. With me."
'Safe.'
That word lingered in the air. It made me feel like I could breathe and suffocate all at once.
"Thank you," I whispered.
We sat in silence for a bit, the hum of the café filling in the gaps. I watched him from the corner of my eye. He looked sincere. But sincerity could be a mask, couldn't it?
My hand brushed against the ring in my pocket.
It was my quiet reminder that the truth still lived in that old, broken-down house. Waiting.
And maybe… maybe so was justice.
And for the first time since that horrible night, I found myself wondering if maybe… just maybe… healing was possible.