{Elira}
~**^**~
The morning sunlight spilled through the cafeteria's high windows, washing the room in soft gold as the breakfast rush filled the air with clinking trays and chatter.
My friends and I carried our food to our usual table, and for once, there was no weight dragging at my steps.
Nari dropped her tray down with a grin so wide it was infectious. "I don't think I've ever slept so well in this place. And waking up without the nightmare of chopping onions at dawn? That's the sweetest part."
Juniper sat beside her, nodding in agreement as she tore a piece of bread. "It feels good not to have punishment hanging over us. Honestly, this Wednesday morning actually feels like a real morning, unlike Monday and Tuesday."
I smiled faintly at their relief, my own chest lighter than it had been in days.
But then, the cafeteria speakers crackled overhead, silencing the room.
