Mira walked beside Lily through the hallway, her presence grounding, like a thread tying her to something real in this unfamiliar world. As they entered the classroom, a quiet murmur passed through the students already seated. Heads turned. Eyes lingered. The girl who had always been in a wheelchair now stood tall — shaky but strong.
Lily could feel every glance. Every whisper.
"Is that really Lily?"
"She looks… different."
"She's actually really pretty."
She tried not to react, but her hands trembled slightly as she adjusted her skirt and followed Mira to an open seat by the window. The sun cast a soft glow on the desk, and she exhaled slowly, trying to relax.
"Don't let them get to you," Mira whispered, flashing her a reassuring smile. "People talk. It'll pass."
Lily nodded. "It's not the talking that gets to me… it's the staring."
"You're pretty now, Lily," Mira said without hesitation. "People notice that. It's not just because you can walk — it's the way you carry yourself. Like someone who's been through something real."
Lily's chest tightened again. There was something in Mira's voice — admiration, yes, but also warmth. The kind of warmth Ethan never thought he'd be on the receiving end of.
Before Lily could respond, the teacher walked in and tapped a few keys on the smartboard. "Alright, everyone, take your seats. We've got a lot to cover this year."
As the lesson began, Lily opened her notebook and started writing. Her handwriting was neater now — smaller and more careful, but her brain still processed like Ethan's. College-level thoughts running through high school curriculum. It was almost too easy.
Equations, historical context, biological terms — it all came back instantly. She caught herself answering a question under her breath before the teacher even finished asking it.
Mira glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. "You remembered all that?"
Lily hesitated, then smiled faintly. "I've… been studying a lot while I was recovering."
"Well, whatever you did, it worked," Mira whispered. "You're like a walking encyclopedia now."
A few boys sitting nearby tried to sneak glances at her while pretending to focus. One dropped his pencil and leaned closer under the desk, pretending to reach for it — but his eyes wandered toward Lily's legs, just barely visible under her uniform skirt. She immediately tensed, tugging her skirt down with one hand and shooting him a sharp glare.
He froze and turned back around.
Mira caught it, too. "Ugh. Seriously? Boys."
"Tell me about it," Lily muttered.
But inside, the tension was still there. No matter how composed she looked on the outside, her insides were a swirl of confusion, fear, and something bitter — a mix of anger and grief. This wasn't the life she'd chosen. It was the life her sister had given her.
A sacrifice she could never repay.
But still… she had to try.