bChapter /bb485 /b

    “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Carter.” Alessia greeted them softly.

    The woman clung to her husband’s arm. Both looked worn and weary, their hair threaded with gray.

    “You must be Alessia?”

    Mia had mentioned Alessia several times during her calls home. If Alessia was with her, she’d always pull her closer, eager to introduce her to her parents.

    “Yes, that’s me.”

    “You’re so lovely.” The woman gently cupped Alessia’s cheek. There was a sorrow in her eyes that seemed endless.

    Alessia didn’t pull away. She pressed her lips together and lowered her gaze.

    “How’s your hand? Are you recovering?” Their story had made the news, and Alessia was one of the most seriously injured. There had been plenty of coverage about her.

    “Thank you

    for your concern. I’m alright now, really.”

    “That’s good, that’s good. You’re all such good kids–you have to take care of yourselves.” The woman’s eyes reddened, her voice trembling as she spoke.

    “Are you heading home now?”

    “Yes. Mia’s father and I just wanted to visit her. She was always such a chatterbox. I imagine she’d be lonely now. I’m d you’re here to keep herpany–it would have made her happy. We’ve been here a while already, so we’ll let you have some time alone with her.”

    “I’ll walk you out.”

    “No, no, that’s not necessary.” The woman waved her hand, and Alessia, not wanting to argue, simply watched as the couple supported each other and walked out of the

    cemetery.

    Once they were gone, Alessia finally set the bouquet down beside the headstone.

    There were already many fresh flowers scattered around, left by different visitors.

    On the headstone, a photo captured a girl’s radiant smile. Even in ck and white, you could tell she was sunshine itself.

    mpter aus

    When the school copsed, Mia, the young couple, their mentor, and beven /bPrincipal Warren hadn’t made it out. They’d traded their lives for the chance that other bchildren /bmight survive.

    All the students–over a dozen–had made it out alive.

    The two kids Alessia had shieldedter told her that, as the ceiling began to cave in, Mia pulled them under the teacher’s desk without a second thought, staying behind herself.

    She gave away her own chance at survival to save those two, without a moment’s hesitation.

    A girl who once teared up at the slightest scrape, in the end, used her own body to shield two children from falling rubble.

    “You’re the bravest of us all now, Mia.” Alessia whispered.

    “You said when we got back to the city, you’d trick me into buying you a fancy dinner. Well, because of you, I’ve finally broken a promise.”

    Alessia sighed, crouching down in front of the grave. Cole stood nearby, silent, not wanting to intrude.

    The very first thing Alessia did when she woke up was ask about everyone else. The second thing she did was donate eight million to rebuild homes in the devastated area. Third, she sent someone to bring Ms. Warren back.

    Unexpectedly, Ms. Warren chose to stay, determined to fulfill Mayor Warren’sst wish and serve the vige. She’d survived because Mayor Warren had shielded her, and as fate would have it, she was carrying their child, just one month along.

    Alessia didn’t say much, but she quickly partnered with the local government to help Ms. Warren settle into her new role as vige mayor, making sure she and the vigers had everything they needed.

    As for her mentor, who had always been so kind to her, Alessia went straight to visit his wife as soon as she was discharged from the hospital.

    The disaster had taken so many vibrant lives, but those left behind still had to keep living. All Alessia could do was try her best to make things a little easier for their families.