The morning light slipped through the blinds, soft and gold. Lizzy woke earlier than usual, not because of her alarm, but because her heart felt… different. Lighter.
She lay still for a moment, listening to the quiet rhythm of Funmi's breathing from the other bed. The dorm always felt too small in the mornings the air thick with deadlines and the smell of instant coffee but today, it didn't feel suffocating.
She turned to her desk where her journal sat, the note tucked inside. For a second, she reached for it, but stopped. She didn't need to read it again; the words were already engraved in her mind.
You don't always have to hide behind silence… You don't have to be okay every day…
She smiled faintly. For the first time in months, someone's words made her feel seen, not judged.
By the time she left for class, the campus was already alive with chatter. Leaves crunched under her shoes as she crossed the quad, the crisp air brushing her cheeks. Everything seemed a little clearer the sound of laughter, the hum of conversations, the sunlight warming her face.
Then she saw him.
Ben stood near the fountain, a book in his hand and a coffee cup balanced in the other. He looked up just as she noticed him. For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Then, Ben gave a small, uncertain smile the kind that seemed to ask a question without words.
Lizzy felt her chest tighten. She wanted to say thank you, wanted to tell him that his words had reached her in a way she couldn't explain. But as she walked toward him, her voice faltered.
"Hey," she said softly.
Ben straightened a little. "Hey. You look… rested."
Lizzy laughed, a small sound that surprised even her. "I guess I slept better than usual."
"Good," he said, relief flickering across his face. "You deserve that."
For a moment, they stood there in the cool morning breeze, just looking at each other. It wasn't awkward, just… quiet. Comfortable.
Lizzy wanted to tell him she found the note, but somehow the words caught in her throat. She didn't need to his eyes said enough.
"See you in class?" Ben asked.
She nodded. "Yeah. See you."
As she walked away, Lizzy couldn't stop the smile tugging at her lips. It wasn't the kind that faded easily it lingered, warm and steady.
Maybe healing didn't come all at once. Maybe it began like this
With one kind note.
One honest conversation.
And one person who saw her for who she was.