The final bell was a shrill, unwelcome intrusion, signaling the end of the school day and the beginning of the part I dreaded most. I gathered my books slowly, my movements sluggish, my mind a million miles away. It had been two weeks since the hospital. Two weeks since my world had shattered. I’d gone back to school a week ago, a ghost haunting the hallways, my smile a brittle, fragile mask that cracked a little more each day.Roxy and Marco were waiting for me by my locker, their familiar presence a small, welcome comfort. “Hey,” Roxy said, her voice a soft, gentle murmur. “How was it?”“The usual,” I said, my voice a flat, dead sound. “A whole lot of nothing.”Marco slung his arm around my shoulders, his touch a light, friendly weight. “Come on, Rossi, don’t be like that. I saw you crack a smile in history today when Mr. Henderson’s toupee started to slip. It’s progress.”I managed a weak, half-hearted smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes. It was a valiant effort, but it was like try
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