It had been several days since Raeya first stepped out of her room. The change wasn't drastic, but it mattered. Every morning, she began waking up earlier. She no longer refused her meals. Occasionally, she would go out to walk in the garden with Aunt Lily. And today… was the day Raeya would return to school.
After a long absence due to her declining condition, she was finally wearing her uniform again. Her hair was tied back simply, her face calm, though a trace of nervousness lingered beneath the surface.
She sat at the dining table, quietly eating the breakfast Aunt Lily had prepared. Not many words were spoken—just a few soft murmurs and a faint smile that said she was ready to face the day.
"Today... I'm going to school," Raeya thought as she adjusted the straps of her backpack.
She knew the sadness was still there. The pain, the memories, the loss of her mother—they wouldn't vanish so easily. But Raeya also knew... her life had to keep moving forward.
After breakfast, she stepped out of the house. A black car was already waiting in the driveway. The family driver opened the door respectfully.
From behind an upstairs window, a pair of eyes watched her silently.
Arvind.
His expression was serious. Troubled.
"She really is starting to change," he muttered. "But why is she still so cold toward me...? I'm her father. She belongs to me. She should listen to me..."
His gaze darkened. Possessive. As if he needed to keep control.
Meanwhile, Raeya climbed into the car, unaware of the eyes watching her from above.
"Have a good day, Miss," the driver said politely.
"Thank you..." Raeya replied with a small smile.
During the ride to school, she gazed out the window. The buildings, the trees, the familiar roads—they all felt strangely distant. Yet there was a warmth blooming in her chest. She missed her classroom. Her teachers' voices. Her friends' laughter. And of course—Layla and Vira.
The car pulled up in front of the school gates.
Raeya stepped out slowly. She took a deep breath before walking in.
"Please... let today be okay."
As she passed through the gates and walked down the corridor, the atmosphere started to shift. Students who saw her froze. Some widened their eyes. Others whispered softly to each other.
When Raeya entered her classroom, all eyes turned toward her.
Silence.
Suddenly—
"RAEYAAAAA!!!"
Vira stood from her seat and ran toward her. She hugged Raeya tightly, her eyes sparkling.
"You finally came! Oh my God, I'm so happy! I thought you weren't ready to come back!"
Raeya let out a soft chuckle at Vira's unchanged enthusiasm.
Several other classmates soon gathered around.
"Raeya, are you okay?"
"We missed you so much!"
"Our class finally feels whole again!"
"Yeah... I'm okay," Raeya replied with a gentle smile.
"Stay strong, Raeya! If you need anything, just tell us!"
"We're really happy you're back!"
Raeya was touched. Though the wounds inside her hadn't fully healed, their warm welcome made her heart feel just a bit lighter.
She took her seat, with Vira quickly settling in beside her.
"Hmm… Layla's not here yet?" Raeya asked.
"Oh, that's normal. She's always late. We're used to it," Vira laughed softly.
Soon, the bell rang. The classroom door burst open with a loud bang.
"Hah... hah... I'm not late, am I?!"
Layla stood in the doorway, panting, her face red from running.
"Whew, thank God I won't get detention—"
She stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes landed on Raeya's desk. She rubbed her eyes as if trying to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.
"RAEYAAAAA?!"
She quickly walked over, still in disbelief. Then she gently pinched Raeya's cheek.
"Oh my god… it's really you?! Why didn't you tell us you were coming today?!"
Raeya smiled faintly.
"Hehe... I wasn't sure I'd go this morning. I didn't get a chance to tell you guys."
Layla immediately hugged her tightly, overwhelmed with joy.
"Our trio is finally complete again!"
"Yay! Today's gonna be so much fun!" Vira chimed in, hugging them both.
They laughed together, just like they used to. The tears and pain hadn't vanished, but that morning felt like a new beginning. The sky looked a little brighter, and Raeya's heart a little lighter.
⋇⋆✦⋆⋇
Time flew by quickly.
Before she knew it, the final bell rang. The chatter of students rushing to leave the classroom echoed through the hallway.
Raeya packed her books and supplies calmly into her bag. The day had gone far better than she'd expected. She had even laughed… something she hadn't done in so long.
"Thank God today was fun," she thought. "This morning I was so nervous I could hardly breathe."
"Finally done… today's lessons fried my brain!" Layla groaned as she slung her bag over her shoulder.
"But it was still fun, especially since Raeya was here!" Vira said brightly.
The three of them walked together toward the school gates, joking and chatting. The afternoon air was cool, and the sunlight was fading into a soft, golden glow.
Near the gate, one by one, students were being picked up. Soon, a black car pulled up and stopped in front of them.
A woman stepped out—Vira's mother.
Her face lit up when she saw Raeya standing there.
"Raeya, sweetheart! You came to school today?" she greeted warmly as she approached. "How was it? Did you have a good day?"
"I did, Auntie. It was a good day," Raeya replied politely with a small smile.
"Mom! I'm so happy Raeya's back at school. Tomorrow we're going out for snacks, okay? But don't pick me up too early!" Vira said, full of excitement.
"Haha, alright, alright. Are you two getting picked up?"
"Yes, Auntie," Raeya and Vira replied in unison.
"Alright then, we'll head home first. Don't go wandering off, okay? Wait right here."
"Okay, Auntie. Take care."
They waved goodbye. Raeya stood near the gate, watching Vira and her mother drive off, her smile slowly fading.
A few minutes later, another car arrived to pick up Layla.
"I'm off, Raeya! Don't forget—snacks after school tomorrow!"
"Got it. See you tomorrow, Layla!"
"Yayyy! Byeee~!"
Layla climbed into the car, waving cheerfully from the window as it pulled away.
Now, Raeya was the only one left at the gate.
She stood alone as the soft breeze stirred her hair. Her gaze lingered on the fading silhouettes of her friends.
When she saw Vira's mother earlier, a wave of memories had suddenly rushed in. Her mother. Liana. Her warm smile, the hand waving from a distance, the gentle voice calling her name—all of it flooded her mind.
Usually... it was her mom who picked her up. Usually... there was a warm hug waiting. Usually... someone would ask, "How was your day, sweetheart?"
Now, there was only silence. Emptiness.
Raeya looked down. Her eyes began to well up. But she didn't want to cry here. She bit her lip, trying to hold back the sting rising in her chest.
"I have to be strong... I have to get used to this... I don't have any other choice."
Soon, the black car pulled up in front of her. The driver stepped out and opened the door politely.
He glanced at Raeya's face—and saw the tears she was holding back.
He didn't say a word. He simply bowed his head and held the door open.
"Miss Raeya… let's go home."
Raeya gave a small nod. She got into the car, sitting quietly in the corner, staring out the window as it fogged up from her heavy breath.
Before long, her tears began to fall. Silently. Without sobs.
She cried alone, in the quiet of the car moving slowly through the twilight.
The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror. He didn't speak—he just gripped the steering wheel tighter.
"I always pray the best for you, Miss..." "You're a strong girl… so, so strong."
The car drove on, taking Raeya home.
But this time, home didn't feel like home.
And the road back felt lonelier than ever.