I woke up today staring into the same face that always greets me—the face etched with memories I wish I could forget. A face burdened with a past that still grips me by the throat.
I've never believed in miracles, but some part of me hoped—just a little—that one day I'd wake up and see someone else in the mirror. Someone who hadn't endured everything I did.
Deep down, I prayed for a new start. A life without the shadows that follow me.
But every morning is the same battle. I rise from bed dragging the weight of those memories, the terror that gnaws at me like a parasite. It's not just my reflection I hate—it's the faces burned into my mind. The ones who hurt me. Faces I swore I'd never see again.
And then there are the scars. The jagged marks on my back and shoulders—they're the only proof that my nightmares were real. That I didn't imagine any of it.
Still… something inside me refuses to give up. Maybe it's serotonin, maybe stubbornness, maybe both. But I'm still here. Still breathing. Still fighting.
Day 8,395 of my life. And I'm thankful to God for getting me this far.
Having Liam and Warrin by my side makes everything a little easier. We call ourselves WLS—or "WALLS," as the campus loves to joke. Funny, right? The girl who built walls around her heart ends up in a trio named after them.
Life's been kind lately, considering where I came from. Except for that one time three years ago—the day my heart nearly stopped. All because I thought I saw him. The man I never want to see again.
It wasn't him. Just a stranger at the gym who looked like him. But in that one second, my world cracked.
That day, I made a vow: I will never let our paths cross again. Not in this life. Not in the next. I don't even speak his name.
This journey… it's been pain and fire. But also hope. And friends who didn't let me drown. So here's to another day. To a heart that still dreams and a spirit that refuses to break.
---
Summer closed her journal and slid back under the duvet, her tears hot against her skin.
Anxiety was her constant companion, but sleep was her escape—her safe house in a world full of broken glass.
Except tonight, even her dreams turned cruel.
She twisted and turned under the sheets, shivering, her lips trembling with words that spilled into the darkness. "No… please let me go…"
The first light of dawn slipped through her curtains, painting the room gold. Summer jolted awake with a sharp breath.
"Why?" The word escaped her lips, fragile and full of frustration. "My dreams… they were the only place you couldn't reach. Why did you have to follow me there too?"
Cradling her head in her hands, Summer sat in silence, the weight of her reality pressing down until her chest ached.
Sleep was gone now. She glanced at her phone, groaning as she dragged herself to her feet. Like every other day, she headed to the shower.
Her reflection greeted her again, same as always.
"Summer… your face hasn't changed," she whispered, water dripping from her fingertips as she gripped the sink. She splashed her face, almost violently. "It won't change," she told herself, the words echoing in the steamy air like a curse.
No matter how hard she tried, the ghosts clung tighter.
But today was another chance, and she wasn't going to let the past win.
---
"Early classes," she told her brother before slipping out the door, hoodie pulled low, hands stuffed deep in her pockets. The sky was still pale, brushed in dawn's soft hues.
The bus rolled past, its windows fogged, its passengers tucked in warm oblivion. For a moment, she wished she could be on that bus—just another faceless traveler, not a girl running from shadows.
But the solitude of the cold street… it wasn't all bad. There was a strange comfort in it. Like a promise that maybe—just maybe—this day would hold something better.
She pulled out her phone and dialed. "Open up. I'm outside."
The door swung open to reveal Liam, hair a mess, half-dressed and blinking in confusion.
"You're not even ready?" she teased.
"Summer, it's seven-thirty. Class starts at ten." His voice was a mix of irritation and disbelief.
"Well, good morning to you too." She brushed past him with a smirk and waved at his parents before heading to his room.
"I couldn't sleep," she confessed, flopping onto his bed.
"So, you decided to ruin mine?" Liam crossed his arms, glaring down at her like an annoyed older brother.
"Oh, don't be such a baby." Her laugh rang soft and light, but there was an edge in her eyes that Liam didn't miss.
"Go get ready. We're picking up Warrin." She shoved him toward the bathroom, ignoring his protests.
It didn't matter that the morning had started heavy—Liam and Warrin always managed to pull her back into the light.
And right now, she needed that more than anything.