2

.

.

.

.

The Next Morning

Soft light came into Haya’s room through the window. It was early. Everything was quiet.

Her eyes were dry, but swollen. She hadn’t slept, not really.

She just lay there, staring at the ceiling.

All night, she had seen their faces—her mom, dad, and Sofia. She remembered their voices, their laughter. And then… silence. Again.

She pulled the blanket tighter around herself, trying to feel warm, trying to feel anything.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. A message popped up from a health app:

“Have you eaten today?”

She looked at it for a second.

“No,” she whispered. “I haven’t.”

She sat up slowly. Her muscles ached. But she was still here.

Still breathing.

Still alive.

She stood in front of the mirror. The girl looking back at her didn’t look the same. She looked tired, hurt, lost. But she was still Haya.

She walked to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. The water didn’t make her feel better—but it woke her up a little.

Then she went to the kitchen. It was quiet. Empty. She opened a cupboard and stared at it for a while. Finally, she picked up a pack of biscuits and sat at the small table.

She was still alone. Still sad.

But today… she hadn’t given up.

She took a bite.

And somehow… it tasted like the beginning of something.

After finishing the biscuits, Haya sat at the table for a while. She didn’t move. She didn’t look at her phone. She just sat there, listening to the silence.

It wasn’t peaceful.

It was the kind of silence that reminded her she was alone.

But still… she was here.

Her eyes moved to the small notebook on the shelf. It had a soft blue cover. Sofia had given it to her on her birthday last year.

“Write your feelings in this,” Sofia had said, smiling. “When you can’t talk to anyone, talk to the pages.”

At the time, Haya had laughed and put it away.

But now… her hands reached for it.

She opened the first blank page. The paper felt smooth under her fingers.

She picked up a pen, held it for a moment, and then began to write.

“Dear Mom,

I’m still here. I don’t know why, but I am.

It hurts. Every part of me hurts. But I’m breathing. I ate today. It was just biscuits, but I ate.

I remembered your voice this morning. The way you used to call my name.

I miss it. I miss you.

Please don’t be mad at me for crying so much. I’m trying. I really am.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I’m here today.

And maybe… that’s enough for now.”

She stopped writing and closed the notebook slowly.

A small tear rolled down her cheek—but this one felt different. It wasn’t just sadness. It was something else too.

Maybe a tiny bit of strength.

She placed the notebook back on the shelf and looked out the window.

The sky was still cloudy, but a little sunlight peeked through.

Maybe things wouldn’t get better right away.

Maybe it would take time.

But for the first time in a long while… Haya didn’t feel completely lost.

.

.

.

.

To Be Continued....................

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***