Adrian looked at her, his eyes steady. "Because your life matters. Because you matter."
Ariana wiped her tears and smiled weakly. "Nobody has ever said that to me."
"Well," Adrian said, his voice firm, "then let this be the first time of many."
That night, Ariana slept deeply. No fear, no nightmares. Only peace.
For the first time in her life, she felt what it meant to be safe.
The first night Ariana slept in Adrian's house, she could not believe it was true. The bed was soft. The room smelled clean. The blanket was warm. She lay on her back and kept looking at the ceiling, afraid to close her eyes.
For many nights on the street, she had slept on the floor, cold and dirty. Now, she was lying on a mattress that hugged her body. She turned from side to side, testing if it was real.
Her stomach was also full. She had eaten rice, meat, and even drank juice. It was the first time in her life that she ate until her stomach said, enough.
Ariana held the blanket close to her chest. She whispered in a low voice, "God, please don't let this be a dream."
For the first time in many years, she slept without fear.
The next morning, Adrian knocked softly on her door.
"Ariana, are you awake?"
She sat up quickly. "Yes, sir."
He opened the door and smiled. "Good. Come and eat breakfast."
She walked to the dining table. Bread, eggs, and tea were waiting. Ariana sat down slowly, almost shy. Adrian poured tea for her and said, "Eat well. You are safe here."
As she ate, he watched her with calm eyes. After a while, he said, "Ariana, you cannot just stay at home. You will go back to school."
Ariana stopped chewing. She looked at him with wide eyes. "Me? School?"
"Yes. You are still young. You must continue. I will take care of everything."
Her heart beat fast. She wanted to believe him, but fear held her. "But… I stopped long ago. What if I cannot catch up?"
Adrian shook his head. "Don't worry. You are smart. You will learn fast. Just trust me."
For a long time, Ariana sat quietly. Then she nodded. "Okay. I will try."
Adrian smiled. "Good girl."
That same week, Adrian kept to his word.
He came home one evening with two big shopping bags.
Ariana sat in the living room waiting for him. When she saw the bags, her eyes grew wide.
"What is inside?" she asked softly.
Adrian smiled. "Come and see."
She stood and opened the first bag. Inside were new exercise books, pencils, rulers, and a small school bag. In the second bag, there was a pair of black sandals, two white shirts, and two blue skirts.
Ariana touched the clothes gently, as if they would disappear. "All this… for me?"
"Yes, Ariana. You are going back to school. You must look neat like every other student."
Her throat felt tight. She wanted to speak, but only tears came. She wiped her face quickly, not wanting him to see her cry.
The next morning, Adrian drove her to the school he had already registered her in. Ariana sat beside him in the car, pressing the new bag on her lap. She felt both happy and afraid.
When they reached the school gate, she saw many students in neat uniforms. Some were laughing, some were rushing, some were playing. Ariana held her bag tighter. She felt small, like she did not belong.
Adrian noticed. He touched her shoulder. "Don't be afraid. Walk in with your head up. You deserve to be here."
They walked to the principal's office together. Adrian did the talking, filling forms and signing papers. The principal looked at Ariana and smiled. "Welcome, my dear. Work hard and make us proud."
Ariana nodded quickly, her heart still beating fast.
A teacher came to take her to her new class. Adrian bent down and whispered, "I will come and pick you after school. Just do your best."
She gave a small nod and followed the teacher. As she walked into the class, many eyes turned to her. Some students whispered.
Ariana's palms became sweaty. She sat quietly at the back, trying not to shake.
But deep inside, she told herself, This is a new beginning.
The class was noisy when Ariana entered. Some students were laughing and some were exchanging notes.
The teacher pointed to a seat. "Sit there."
Ariana walked slowly to the back. Her shoes felt heavy, as if the whole class was watching each of her steps. When she sat, she bent her head low, wishing she could disappear.
"Who is the new girl?" one boy whispered to another.
"I don't know. She looks too quiet," the other replied.
Ariana heard their whispers, but she kept her eyes on her desk.
The teacher began to write on the board. The topic was mathematics. Ariana tried to follow, but her mind felt blank. Numbers danced in front of her eyes. She had missed so many years of school; it was like starting from the beginning again.
She gripped her pencil tightly, her heart sinking. What if I cannot do this? What if everyone laughs at me?
When the teacher asked the class a question, many hands went up. Ariana kept her hands under the desk. She prayed the teacher would not call her. Luckily, he did not.
During break time, students rushed out to buy food. Some carried meat pies, some carried soft drinks. Ariana stayed in her seat. She had food in her bag, the one Adrian packed for her, bread and egg. She opened the bag quietly and ate fast, hoping nobody would notice her.
Two girls came near her desk. One looked at her and smiled. "Hi, what's your name?"
Ariana swallowed quickly. "Ariana."
"I'm Grace," the girl said. "And this is Tolu."
The second girl waved lightly.
Ariana gave a small smile. "Nice to meet you."