One that did not have to be forced or chased.
Even if it took years… even if her heart ached every time she saw Somto and Nnenna together… she would move on.
Quietly.
Gracefully.
And one day, she would find someone who loved her the way her father loved her mother.
She opened her eyes and gave a tiny, determined smile.
'You'll be okay,' she told herself. 'One day, this won't hurt anymore. And when that day comes, I'll be ready to love again, with someone who chooses me back.'
She sat up straighter and glanced at Nnenna, who was humming to herself and flipping through flashcards. Ava nudged her shoulder playfully.
"Teach me one more trick," she said with a soft laugh, voice lighter than before.
Nnenna blinked and grinned. "I thought you were done already?"
Ava shrugged. "Well, you never know when a good hack could save your life."
Somto glanced at them in the mirror and smiled quietly to himself.
And just like that, the ache in Ava's chest softened.
She would be fine.
