15
Bella's POV
I stepped back into Mia's room, the quiet hum of the machines greeting me as I closed the door behind me. The room was dim, illuminated only by the pale light of the monitors and the faint glow from the hallway outside. Mia lay still on the bed, her small chest rising and falling in rhythm with the beeping of the machines. I took my seat beside her, my fingers nervously brushing the edge of her blanket.
Looking at her like this—it broke something inside me. Mia had always been the light in the darkest of times, her smile capable of lifting me from despair. But now, she looked so fragile, her vibrant energy replaced by this haunting stillness. I reached out, gently taking her hand in mine, hoping to offer her some of the strength I was desperately trying to hold onto.
As I sat there, memories began flooding back, pulling me into a time that felt like a lifetime ago. I closed my eyes, letting myself slip into the past for just a moment.
