Chapter 12

• Lily lay in her hospital bed, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. The room was quiet, save for the rhythmic beeping of the machines that monitored her health. She felt a sense of calm wash over her, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions that had raged within her for so long.
• Over the past few days, Mia had been by her side, never leaving her alone for a second. With her silly jokes and stories, Mia had managed to bring a smile to Lily’s face even in her darkest moments. Each laugh felt like a small victory, a reminder that joy could still exist even amid pain.
• “Okay, so picture this,” Mia began, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I was in the cafeteria earlier, and I swear, the coffee machine looked like it was about to explode. I mean, it was sputtering and hissing like a cat with a hairball!”