Chapter 39
Julia sat quietly under the large oak tree near the edge of the village—the one her grandmother used to sit under while humming old lullabies. The wind carried the familiar scent of wildflowers and fresh earth, whispering memories she wasn't sure she was ready to face.
She clutched the journal in her lap, the one Liam had found. Her fingers traced her grandmother's handwriting over and over, as if trying to absorb the love behind each word.
"Even when you feel broken, you're still my brightest light…"
She hadn't smiled in weeks. Not a real one. But today, sitting here, something small stirred. A warmth in her chest. It wasn't joy, not yet—but it wasn't pain either. It was… something new. Something soft.
A familiar voice called from a distance. "Julia!"
She looked up to see her friend Amari running toward her, breathless. "You're out! You finally left the house!"
Julia gave her a half-smile. "I'm trying."
Amari sat beside her, pulling out a folded piece of paper. "Look what was posted at the library. A writing competition. For young voices. I thought of you."
Julia looked at the paper, then at Amari, unsure. "I don't know if I'm ready."
"You don't have to be ready," Amari said. "You just have to be brave enough to try."
Silence settled between them, but it wasn't heavy like before. It was calm. Peaceful.
Julia looked up at the sky. The clouds were parting. A small patch of blue peeked through.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, Julia felt it—not just a memory, not a shadow—but the edge of a smile.
Not for anyone else.
Just for herself.