Chapter 15
The sun broke through the clouds that morning, soft and golden, as if even the sky had been waiting for Julia's smile to return.
At school, everything felt a little different. The hallway didn't seem as cold. The classrooms didn't echo quite as loudly. And for the first time in what felt like forever, Julia didn't feel invisible.
"Hey," Amira said gently, walking beside her. "I saw what you pinned to the tree yesterday."
Julia smiled—small, but real. "It was from my grandma."
Amira nodded. "It made me cry. But it also gave me hope."
Julia blinked. "Hope?"
"Yeah," Amira said. "That even when we lose someone… we can still feel them. In words. In memories. In the way we keep going."
That afternoon, during their writing period, something magical happened.
Julia wrote without stopping. Words poured out like a waterfall—raw, honest, and full of the emotions she'd been hiding. Her story wasn't just about sadness anymore. It was about healing.
When her teacher passed by, she paused. "Julia," she whispered, reading over her shoulder. "This is beautiful."
Julia glanced up, surprised. "You think so?"
"I know so," the teacher smiled. "Have you ever thought of entering your story into the Young Voices contest?"
Julia's heart skipped. She hadn't.
But now… maybe she could.
That evening, Julia looked in the mirror.
For the first time in a long while…
she didn't look lost.
She looked like a girl finding her way back.