Lilianna walked into the kitchen, the scent of pizza filling the air. She grabbed a couple of plates from the cabinet and walked back toward Carly's room. When she opened the door, she saw Carly asleep, sprawled across the bed, her face peaceful but fragile in a way that reminded Lilianna just how far they'd come since the accident. She gently pulled the blanket up over Carly, tucking it in on both sides before turning to leave.
She flicked off the light and shut the door softly behind her, her heart swelling with relief. It had been such a long journey to get here, to this moment of normalcy—Carly was home, and for the first time in a while, Lilianna allowed herself to breathe. She'd been waiting for this moment: to protect her sister, to take care of her, to make sure nothing bad ever happened again.
Lilianna sat on the couch, finishing her slice of pizza. She pulled out her phone and began swiping through the pictures of her parents—her heart tightening with every photo. She missed them. She wished they were here, wishing her well, watching over them. She stared at the ceiling for a moment, mouthing the words, "I miss you," before placing the phone back down and heading to her room. She lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, still clinging to the silence, until sleep finally took over.
The week that followed passed in a blur. Lilianna had given Carly some space to adjust to the idea of starting at a new school, but today was the day. It felt strange—like a milestone—but also like another reminder of how things had changed.
Lilianna cooked eggs and bacon, the smell drifting through the apartment. She approached Carly's room and flicked the light on gently.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," Lilianna said, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Time to get up. I've got breakfast on the table."
Carly blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. Her blonde hair was a mess, her blue eyes heavy with sleep. The oversized pajamas hung loosely from her petite frame.
"That time already?" Carly groaned, her voice thick with exhaustion.
"Yep, come on, get ready, and then you can eat," Lilianna replied, her tone bright, though she could see the nerves creeping in.
Lilianna stepped out of the room and stopped in front of the mirror, adjusting her shoulder-length brown hair, making sure everything was in place. Her makeup still looked fresh, and her blue eyes seemed brighter this morning, despite the weight of everything they'd been through. She gave herself a quick, reassuring smile before heading to the kitchen.
Carly soon emerged, her hair half-up in a messy ponytail, mascara on her lashes, wearing a shirt and skirt combo paired with Converse sneakers. The sight of her gave Lilianna a wave of nostalgia, reminding her of when she was in high school not too long ago.
"Looks like styles haven't changed too much since I was a sophomore," Lilianna teased, her smile widening.
"Yeah, the time of the dinosaurs hasn't changed too much," Carly shot back with a grin.
Lilianna raised an eyebrow in mock offense. "I'm not that old," she said with a playful smirk. "I see someone's feisty this morning."
Carly's smile faded just slightly, her eyes going downcast. "Sorry, I'm just nervous. I guess this is how I cope," she admitted, her voice quieter. "This will be the first time I don't have them here for the first day."
Lilianna's heart clenched for her sister. She crossed the room, taking Carly's hands gently in hers. "I know. But I can't wait to hear all about it when you get home, okay?" She squeezed her hands, trying to reassure Carly, though she, too, felt the quiet weight of the loss.
After breakfast, they left the apartment. The sun was warm, with a slight breeze in the air. Lilianna let Carly take control of the radio, her choice of songs trying to pump her up for the first day. They sang along to the music, their laughter echoing through the car as they pulled up to the school.
As they neared the entrance, Carly's expression shifted from excitement to nervousness. The reality of it had settled in. Lilianna could see the worry in her sister's eyes.
"You'll do great, I know it," Lilianna said with a smile, though her own heart was racing for Carly.
"I hope you're right," Carly murmured, glancing at her sister one last time before she opened the car door.
Carly hesitated, but took a deep breath and stepped out, her posture a little unsure but determined. Lilianna watched as she disappeared into the building, and for a moment, she felt a pang of longing for the days when things were easier, when they didn't have to carry such heavy burdens. But there was nothing to do now but move forward.
As soon as Carly was out of sight, Lilianna drove off, her mind buzzing with thoughts of how the day would unfold. She pulled into the parking lot of the law firm and quickly sent Carly a text: "I love you. Have a good day, sis."
Walking into the building, coffee in hand, she was greeted by Grace, who had a warm smile on her face.
"So how's Carly holding up?" Grace asked, her voice soft with concern.
"She seems to be doing great," Lilianna said, a smile tugging at her lips. "I just dropped her off for her first day at the new school."
Grace beamed at her, a hint of admiration in her eyes. "You know, I admire how much you're doing for her. It's really heroic."
Lilianna felt a lump form in her throat, but she blinked it away. "Thank you. I know things are going to be rough for a bit. Stepping into a parental role instead of just being her sister... it's a lot. I can't imagine everything she saw during that crash and all the healing she had to do in the hospital," Lilianna said, her tone quieter now. "But she's worth it."
Before Grace could respond, Lilianna's assistant, Bella, poked her head out of the office. "Ms. Rodes, the meeting has started."
"Be right there," Lilianna responded, turning to walk into her office. But as she did, her heart felt full—heavy with the weight of everything she'd taken on, but full of love for Carly. They were figuring it out, one step at a time.
Grace gave Lilianna a knowing nod before slipping into her office. Lilianna lingered for a moment, taking a deep breath to center herself. She grabbed a file from her desk, feeling the weight of it in her hand—just another task to check off the long list of things she needed to do today.
The door to the meeting room was just ahead, and Lilianna felt her pulse quicken. The last few days had been a whirlwind, between Carly's recovery and adjusting to their new life, but now it was time to focus. She wasn't just a sister or a guardian; here, she was a professional.
She pushed the door open, and her colleagues turned their attention to her. She stood tall, composed, and gave a polite smile.
"Good morning, everyone. Let's begin, shall we?" she said, her voice steady as she closed the door behind her, shutting out the world for a moment.
The room fell into a comfortable silence as everyone waited for her to speak. Lilianna took her seat at the head of the table, glancing at the pile of papers in front of her. She could feel the weight of her new role as a guardian pressing against her chest, but she knew she had to leave that at the door for now. She wasn't just Lilianna Rodes, sister and guardian; she was Lilianna Rodes, associate at a prestigious law firm.
Taking a deep breath, she looked around the room, meeting the eyes of her colleagues.
"We've got a full agenda today, so let's dive in."
As the meeting began, Lilianna's mind raced a little at first. She was still adjusting to the demands of this new life—balancing her career with her newfound responsibilities at home—but she quickly found her rhythm. Her thoughts about Carly and the apartment were still there, lingering at the edges of her mind, but she managed to keep them at bay, focusing on the case in front of her.
As Carly stepped into the school building, she felt a wave of overwhelm wash over her. The noise hit her first—the laughter, the chatter, the sound of friends greeting each other after what felt like an eternity apart. It was like everyone was living in their own little bubble of happiness, a stark contrast to the quiet storm inside her mind.
She scanned the crowd of students, feeling both invisible and incredibly out of place. Everyone was so full of life, so excited to reconnect with friends. And there she was—someone who'd been through more loss in the last year than most people could imagine. Someone who knew no one. Someone who had been stripped of the safety and security she once knew.
A part of her felt like a ghost, haunting the halls, unnoticed by the rest of the world. The noise felt suffocating, the air thick with the unfamiliar.
She tucked her hands into her pockets, trying to shrink into herself, when she noticed a teacher standing by a classroom door. She hesitated for a moment, unsure, but then, feeling the weight of her nerves, she walked up to him.
"Excuse me, sir?" she asked quietly, her voice a little shakier than she intended.
The teacher, a middle-aged man with glasses perched on the tip of his nose, turned to her. He smiled warmly. "Yes, how can I help you?"
Carly hesitated again, unsure if she even belonged here in the first place, but she pushed through the anxiety. "I... I'm new. My name's Carly. I was wondering where my office is?"
"Welcome, it's down the hallway to the left," he said with a smile.
"Thank you," she said, faking a smile.
She walked down the hallway, as she approached the office a boy was coming out and held the door open for her.
"Thank you," she said.
"No problem," the boy said, winking at her.
She approached the desk. A red curly haired woman approached her.
"What can I do for you sweetie?" She asked.
"I'm new, do you have a schedule for me?"
"What's your name hun?"
"Carly Rodes." She replied.
"Ah, here it is!", she said as she pulled a paper out of the stack on the desk and handed it to Carly.
"Thank you," Carly said again with a fake smile. She looked down at the paper and saw her first class was math class. She walked down the hallway and followed the class numbers to class 130.
As Carly walked down the hallway toward her first class, she tried to focus on the paper in her hands, her fingers gripping it tighter as she passed the rows of lockers and classrooms. She wasn't sure what she expected the first day to be like, but this—this constant feeling of being out of place—was more than she'd bargained for.
When she reached the math classroom, she paused outside the door for a moment. She could hear the buzz of conversation inside—laughter, voices rising and falling with familiarity. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to walk in there like she belonged. But she couldn't turn back now.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped inside.
The teacher, a middle-aged woman with a kind smile and glasses that kept slipping down her nose, looked up and immediately spoke. "You must be our new student, Carly! Welcome!" she said warmly. "Class, this is Carly, she's joining us today. Be sure to make her feel welcome!"
The class turned to look at her. Some gave her a quick glance, others barely seemed to notice, but none looked particularly welcoming. Carly felt her face flush. She could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.
The teacher continued, not noticing Carly's discomfort. "I'm Ms. Thomas. If you need help, just let me know. Your desk is over there, next to Mr. Jackson."
Carly looked toward the desk. Jackson. The boy from earlier in the hallway. He was already looking at her, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
Great, she thought, of course it's him.
"Mr. Jackson, please raise your hand," Ms. Thomas said, as if it were some sort of joke. Jackson raised his hand lazily, still with that confident smirk. Carly quickly made her way to the desk, trying not to make eye contact for too long.
As she sat down, Jackson gave her a once-over, his brown eyes flicking over her with amusement. "Well, well, look who's following me," he teased with a grin, clearly enjoying his own joke.
Carly's face reddened, and she quickly glanced down at her desk. "Totally unintentionally," she muttered, trying to keep things casual. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much she felt out of place.
"Sure," Jackson said, leaning back in his chair. "I guess we'll see."
The class began, and Carly tried to focus on Ms. Thomas's words, but her mind kept drifting. She couldn't help but notice how Jackson's eyes kept wandering back to her, as if he was trying to figure her out. But she refused to look at him. She was here to survive this day, not make any friends—at least, not yet.
After an hour, the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. Carly quickly grabbed her things, ready to escape the buzz of the room. As she stepped into the hallway, a pair of girls approached her, giggling.
"Jackson was totally into you," the redhead with freckles said, her voice teasing.
Carly froze for a moment, unsure how to respond. Jackson? She didn't even realize he was paying that much attention to her.
"More like he couldn't take his eyes off you," said the black-haired girl next to her, a playful grin spreading across her face. "Honestly, it was more entertaining watching him react to you than the entire class."
Carly tried not to feel self-conscious, though the words made her cheeks heat up. "I honestly wasn't paying attention," she replied with a shrug, trying to brush it off. She wasn't here for drama; she was just trying to survive the day.
The redhead, noticing Carly's discomfort, softened her tone. "Anyway, my name's Annabelle, and this is Ling," she said, pointing to the girl with black hair, who smiled at Carly with a friendly, almost knowing look. "What's your next class?"
"Looks like Art," Carly said, glancing down at the schedule.
"We're in Art too!" Ling said, her eyes lighting up. "Want to walk together?"
Carly hesitated for a moment. The idea of walking to her next class with these girls, who seemed to be friendly, was a little comforting. She gave them a tentative smile, feeling a small spark of hope that maybe she wouldn't have to go through this alone. "Totally," she said, finally relaxing a bit.
As the three of them walked through the crowded halls toward Art class, Carly felt a little less like an outsider. Annabelle and Ling chatted easily, and Carly found herself slowly falling into the rhythm of their conversation. It wasn't exactly easy for her to keep up with the banter, but the girls' openness made it feel like she wasn't invisible, like she could be a part of something, even if only for a little while.