chapter 35: breaking dawn
the first light of dawn seeped through the thin curtains, casting soft gold across the small room where ren lay awake. his body felt heavy, weighed down by the restless thoughts that had plagued him through the night. he shifted, staring at the ceiling once more, but this time the memories felt sharper, clearer, like pieces of a puzzle slowly clicking into place.
maya was already awake, sitting quietly by the window. her calm presence was a steady anchor in the sea of his chaotic mind. she looked over, her eyes meeting his, full of quiet understanding.
"you're thinking again," she said softly.
"can't stop," ren admitted. "last night... i faced a part of myself i never wanted to see. the shattered self, like you said."
maya nodded. "it's painful, but necessary. sometimes we have to break before we can become whole."
ren clenched his fists. "i don't want to just survive. i want to be strong enough so no one can ever put me down again. i don't want to be weak."
"strength isn't just power," maya said, standing and stretching. "it's knowing your limits, accepting your flaws, and still moving forward."
he watched her as she moved with quiet grace, a reminder that strength could come in many forms. the sun rose higher, bathing the room in warm light, and ren felt a small spark ignite within him — a fragile hope.
"thank you, maya," he said, voice low but steady. "for everything."
she smiled, the kind that reached her eyes. "we're in this together."
outside, the world was waking up — bright, full of possibilities. and for the first time in a long time, ren felt ready to face whatever came next.