Zia sat on the back porch, her knees pulled to her chest and her hoodie sleeves stretched over her hands. The sun was starting to dip behind the trees, casting long golden streaks across the yard. A warm breeze rustled through the leaves. It smelled like honeysuckle and fresh cut grass.
She smiled down at her phone. A message from Walker lit up the screen.
"Still thinking about you. Hope today was good. You're amazing, Z."
Her cheeks flushed with quiet happiness. She tucked the phone into her hoodie pocket and leaned her head back, breathing it all in — the moment, the warmth, the peace she hadn't felt in a long time.
Inside the house, she could hear soft laughter and the clinking of dishes. Her mom — her mom, awake, smiling — had just finished dinner, and while she was still weak, she was sitting up on her own now. Talking more. Remembering more. Healing was slow, but it was happening. For a while, Zia hadn't been sure they'd get here.
Her chest swelled with a wave of gratitude so strong it almost knocked the air from her lungs.
Then the screen door creaked open.
"You hiding out here?" Leah asked, stepping outside with a soda can in hand.
"Just thinking."
"Oh no," Dani teased, popping up behind her. "Zia's having feelings. Everyone come watch."
The porch filled up fast. Harper flopped down next to her with a bag of chips. Cami pulled her hood up against the breeze and curled into the corner. Nariah and Bria shared a blanket and sat shoulder to shoulder on the swing, giggling at something on Bria's phone.
Zia laughed. "Can't a girl have a moment?"
"No," Harper said, handing her a chip. "Not when you're clearly glowing with happiness and we weren't invited to the soft-girl celebration."
"She's got that Walker texted me good morning glow," Nariah teased.
Zia rolled her eyes, but her grin gave her away.
The truth was, she did feel lighter. For the first time in forever, she didn't feel like she was just surviving. She had Walker — patient, sweet, always knowing what to say. She had her mom — recovering, smiling, trying. And she had this: a messy, chaotic, beautiful group of girls who loved her like she was family.
Zia leaned her head on Leah's shoulder and whispered, " I'm really happy."
Leah nudged her. "Good. You deserve it."
The sun dipped lower. The porch was filled with the kind of laughter that comes easy when you feel safe. And for the first time in a long, long time, Zia let herself believe things were finally going to be okay. (Or will they😈) I'm jk
@Zia.thornfields
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