Damaged

Now I See Daylight (I Only See Daylight)

Epilogue

6 years later

"Mrs. Grant?"

The soft, slight squeaking of the dry erase marker faded as Olivia's hand paused on the board. Capping the purple marker, she turned to face the classroom behind her. A soft breeze flitted through the room, having found its way through the open window, and tugged on the bottom of her white, knee-length dress. Her gaze settled on the fourteen year old in the front - her long, blonde hair hanging in two braids.

"Yes, Rebecca?"

"When are our essays due?"

Olivia tried not to laugh at the groans that followed Rebecca's question. She knew a few of her students were avoiding the inevitable and didn't want to discuss the end of term essay that was replacing their exam. With a smile and a shake of her head, Olivia responded:

"Friday -" Raising her hands, she gestured for the class to quieten as even more groans echoed in the room "-after break. I want all of you to have fun next week. World history can wait."

The excited shouts and calls of gratitude put a smile on Olivia's face. Tucking her short, curled hair behind her ear, she once more asked the class to quiet down and return to their assignment. Uncapping her marker, she turned her back to the class and resumed her writing on the board. It was only Wednesday - they still had two more days of classes and Friday was a short quiz. She wasn't going to give them any homework over break (though she had a sneaking suspicion Rebecca would be working on that essay), but it didn't mean that she was going to take it easy before break.

Olivia's hand paused on the board as the bell began ringing. Capping her marker and laying it on the tray under the board, she turned to watch as her students began packing their things. It was the last class of the day, but they knew better than to start packing before the bell rang or she gave them permission. Olivia ran a tight ship, but despite that she was one of the favourites amongst the students.

"See you tomorrow, Mrs. Grant."

"Have a good evening, Teegan."

"Bye, Mrs. Grant!"

"Do me a favour and do your homework tonight, Troye," Olivia called after the redhead. As the last of the students trickled out and silence fell over the noisy, bustling hallways, Olivia headed toward her desk. Sitting in her leather chair, she swivelled around to check her email. There was the usual chitter-chatter shared amongst her coworkers - discussing the upcoming break, some recognition someone had received, and asking others to stop leaving their copies on the copier all day. The usual. Exiting out of her email, Olivia opened her gradebook - double-checking all her entries. A moment later, a box began flashing across her computer, reminding Olivia that she had a meeting in five minutes. One of the AP English students had asked to interview her for a final project. A soft knock on the door drew Olivia's attention away from the computer.

"Come in."

The teen entered the room, a notebook cradled in his arm and a pen balanced between his fingers. Olivia smiled at that sight - most of the students would have brought a laptop. Swiveling in her seat and leaning forward, watching as he took a seat across from her desk. Clasping her hands together on her desk, she began speaking.

"Finegan, right?"

"You can call me, Fin."

"Fin it is then." Olivia smiled, clearing her throat. "Miss O'Brien said you wanted to interview me for your final."

"Yeah. It's a book review. She encouraged us to speak to the author if we could."

Olivia bit her lip, glancing down at the papers scattered across her desk. Her gaze slowly slid to the side - landing on a framed photograph of her husband and two little girls. Despite the sinking feeling she felt in her stomach, a soft smile played on her lips. Twisting the diamond ring and golden band on her finger, Olivia took a deep breath. It had been six years since Edison's death and Eric's trial. Four years since she had published her memoir and applied for her teaching license - having finished her Master's of Education while writing her memoir. Damaged had spent weeks atop the New York Times Best Sellers list and given her a piece of fame she had quickly realised she never wanted.