Broken homes

Hallway Collision

The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and Lily was the first one out the door. She needed air. That whole conversation in Feeny's class had felt way too personal, and Shawn's reaction—his little scoff—was still echoing in her head.

As she turned the corner, lost in thought, she collided hard into someone, sending both of their books tumbling to the ground.

"Watch where you're—" Angela started, but when she saw it was Lily, she rolled her eyes. "Of course."

Lily sighed, already annoyed. "Relax, it was an accident."

Angela crossed her arms. "Right. Just like everything else you do."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Angela huffed. "You've been acting like the victim for weeks, Lily. But let's be real, you've hurt people too. And I don't think you even care."

Lily's jaw clenched. "You don't know anything about me."

Angela scoffed. "Oh, please. I know enough. I know you push people away the second they get too close. I know you treat Nate like a distraction and not a person. And I definitely know that you're mad at Shawn for doing the same thing you do—making mistakes."

Lily felt her face heat up. "Are you done?"

Angela bent down, picking up her books. "I don't know, Lily. Are you?"

Lily stood there, watching Angela walk away, her words cutting deeper than Lily wanted to admit.

Lily sat in the middle of the health classroom, twirling her pen between her fingers as she stared at the front. Andrea—her mother—stood at the whiteboard, writing down today's topic in neat, bold letters:

Breaking Cycles: Understanding Patterns in Mental and Physical Health

Lily internally groaned. Of course.

Her mind kept drifting back to her conversation with Angela. It was annoying how much those words stuck.

"Alright," Andrea began, turning to face the class. "Let's start with a simple question. Can people break the cycles they were raised in, or are they doomed to repeat them?"

Lily stiffened.

Shawn, sitting a few rows behind her, leaned forward on his desk. "Well, some people say they wanna change, but then they just do the same crap over and over again."

Andrea nodded. "So you believe breaking a cycle is more than just saying you will—it's about action?"

Shawn scoffed. "Yeah, but not everyone wants to change. Some people like blaming their problems on their past instead of actually fixing themselves."

Lily's grip on her pen tightened. She knew that jab was meant for her.

Nate, sitting beside her, noticed and leaned in. "Ignore him," he muttered under his breath.

Andrea continued. "That's a fair point, Shawn. But some people do change—maybe not all at once, but in small ways."

Topanga raised her hand. "I think people can break cycles, but it takes effort. You have to be aware of what you're doing and make the choice every day to do better."

Lily's heart pounded.

Andrea nodded. "Exactly. But awareness isn't enough. It takes work, and sometimes, it means admitting things we don't want to."

Lily swallowed hard, staring at her desk.

Andrea glanced around the room. "Lily, what do you think?"

Lily slowly looked up, feeling everyone's eyes on her. Even Shawn's.

For a moment, she considered brushing off the question. Shrugging it away like she always did.

But then, she took a deep breath.

"I think..." she hesitated, then sat up straighter. "Breaking a cycle isn't just about proving people wrong. It's about proving yourself right—that you can be better."

Andrea smiled slightly, but Lily saw the pride in her eyes.

Shawn, however, just shook his head and looked away.

And for the first time, Lily didn't care what he thought.

Andrea clapped her hands together. "Alright, let's split into small groups and discuss this further. I want you to share your thoughts—do you think breaking a cycle is possible, and what does it take to actually do it?"

The students groaned as they moved their desks.

Lily ended up in a group with Nate, Angela, and—to her dismay—Shawn.

Great.

Angela crossed her arms. "Well, obviously people can change. But some people take forever to figure it out."

Lily glanced at her. "You saying something, Angela?"

Angela gave her a look. "If the shoe fits."

Nate sighed, placing a hand on Lily's knee under the desk to keep her calm. "Let's just answer the question." He turned to Shawn. "What do you think?"

Shawn leaned back in his chair, his jaw tightening. "I think some people say they want to change, but deep down, they don't. They just want people to think they're better."

Lily exhaled through her nose, trying not to take the bait.

Angela nodded. "Right. Like, if someone's been a mess for years, why would anyone believe they suddenly have their life together?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because people aren't stuck in one place forever?"

Shawn scoffed. "You really believe that?"

Lily met his gaze, her voice firm. "Yeah. I do."

For a second, something flickered in Shawn's eyes.

Nate cleared his throat. "I think people change when they decide to, not when other people say they should."

Angela gave him a skeptical look. "So you're saying everyone gets a free pass for their bad behavior?"

"No," Nate said. "I'm saying people should be given the chance to be better."

Lily looked at him, grateful.

Shawn shook his head, looking down. "Some people don't deserve that chance."

The air between them felt heavy.

Andrea walked by, listening in. "Interesting conversation," she said with a small smile. "Remember—change isn't about convincing other people. It's about making the choice for yourself."

Lily nodded slowly.

Shawn didn't say a word.