ned to the departmental n

go. Eight pap

Around her, pharmacy students chattered in panicked voices, their faces alrea

dn't f

the o

ics to revise. Practicals to perfect. Drugs to memorize. Pathways to

a's voice when she jo

u or plug your brain into

idn't

, she shut o

wrote until her fingers cramped. Studied until her vision doubled. Slept in thirty-minute int

elf it was be

ody had o

e the tests, t

e through her bones. Burning in her joints. Her chest felt

friends rushed her to the universit

asped, her voice

rushing her hair off her clammy face and dialing

ips, pain meds, muttered medical terms, and l

her paren

is eyes wild with unspoken fear. Her mother wept quietly beside h

the barracks clinic," the C

't a qu

r condition was first diagnosed. Where the medic

d, Jamal and Adam were already w

hout a word, holding Alia's cold ha

private vehicle, but he n

ia didn't

t

oken, useless. He didn't deserve to see her like

oking through the glass window from the corr

ls were

and t

some rest. Adam had finally stepped out for coffee after sitting beside her all da

the pain meds wearing off, her body

t in air before s

ma

ough it were porcelain. His thumb stroked her knuckles, gentle and rever

he stirred,

rching hers. "You're awake. My

away, her voice cold. "What

I'm here for you. D

t ask yo

o be. I'm not goin

aw cl

like this. Not now. Not again. I'm not afraid of your pain. I'm not afraid of your silence. Y

acked, but h

push me away.

t tightening. "Why wo

id. "Because I love you

rive the wedge between them deeper-b

ft

ep

ssion. But

nt, her body f

back, the dam i

se. All the pain, fear, frustration-everything she'd been holdi

r. I've worked so hard. And I've failed. Again. Don't you see? You don't deserve this. Y

n't say that. Don't ever say that. You're not

til her thr

her, rocking

most people can say. Your life is just beginning. Tests can be retaken. Exams will com

in days, she let

wrapped in his arms and her broke

't about fixing

aying... even when th