MAYA
Sunlight pierced my eyes, waking me up. It had been weeks since I missed out on school. It was time to go back.
As I got up, I stretched my back, wincing at the slight twitch I felt. The scars were gone, but the pain was still there. My eyes caught me in the mirror. The girl looking back at me wasn’t the Maya I’d known. She was stronger, bolder, a bit different.
A soft knock interrupted my thoughts, and the door opened. It was Mirian, my nanny, Miriam. She rushed over and grabbed me from my arms.
“Maya, sweetie, you shouldn’t be getting up? Remember—”
“I’m good, Nan,” I grinned soflty. “Trust me, I feel better now. I want to go back to school.”
“But your health… I can’t risk it,” she gently rubbed my arm. “Why not just wait another week? I’ve spoken to your teachers, and they’d
