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EVA'S POV

I snapped back to reality, the memories dissolving like mist in the morning sun. I was no longer in the chaotic cafeteria or the harsh hallways of high school; I was in my apartment, lying on my couch. But the pain from those days lingered, raw and unhealed, making my heart ache.

I wiped at my cheeks, surprised to find them wet with tears. The memories had brought back so much hurt, so much humiliation. I had tried so hard to forget, to move on, but Livia’s cruelty was etched into my soul.

A sob escaped my lips, and I hugged a cushion to my chest, seeking some comfort in its softness. "Why does it still hurt so much?" I whispered to the empty room, my voice trembling.

I remembered the look on my foster mom’s face, the way she had pleaded with Livia, her dignity trampled in the dirt. I remembered the cold, hard tiles of the school bathroom, the taste of toilet water, the laughter echoing in my ears. I remembered the cafeteria, the milk soaking through my clothes, the way Soph