It had been a full week since the accident, and though the world outside seemed to move on, time stood still for Olivia. Every morning she woke with the same ache in her chest, and every night she went to bed with Peter's face lingering in her mind.
Her grades, her sleep, her appetite — everything had faded into the background. The only thing that mattered was the quiet room on the fourth floor of St. Helena's Hospital, where Peter lay still, surrounded by soft beeps and tubes.
Every afternoon, after classes, Olivia made her way to that room. Sometimes she came alone, other times with Emma, her closest friend, who always carried a book or flowers. They would sit beside Peter, talking about random things — music, their favorite teachers, and the small things that made school feel a little less heavy.
"Hey, Peter," Olivia whispered one afternoon, brushing her fingers over his. "You missed another day of physics. Mr. Blake still thinks you're the only one who understands his weird equations." She smiled faintly. "I told him you'll be back soon."
There was no response, just the rhythmic sound of the monitor. But Olivia kept talking anyway, believing somehow, deep inside, that he could hear her.
Susan, Peter's mother, was often there too — quiet, composed, though her eyes told stories of sleepless nights. She always greeted Olivia with a weak but sincere smile. "You're an angel for visiting, sweetheart," she'd say softly. "He'd be so glad to know you're here."
Amelia Owens, Olivia's mother, had resumed her work at the city hospital, visiting Peter's ward only three days a week due to her rotation schedule. John Owens had returned to his law practice, balancing his demanding job with family time. Their home, once filled with laughter, had grown quiet — each of them trying in their own way to hold the pieces together.
A new week began, and the halls of St. Mark's High School were buzzing again. Flyers hung on the bulletin boards — National Science & Innovation Competition, Final Selections This Week!
Students whispered in excitement as they gathered in the science lab, waiting for the announcement. The air smelled faintly of chalk dust and coffee from the teacher's cup on the counter.
"Alright, everyone," said Principal Richard Hayes, a man known for his calm authority. "As most of you know, the state-level Science and Innovation Challenge begin in six weeks. St. Mark's High School has always ranked among the top three schools, and this year, we plan to bring home the trophy."
A murmur rippled through the room. Emma leaned toward Olivia and whispered, "You're going to lead it, Liv. I can feel it."
Olivia shook her head slightly. "Not me. Not this year."
Principal Hayes continued, scanning the list in his hand. "After much consideration, our science department has selected the following students to represent St. Mark's High School at this year's event…" He read a few names, pausing before the last one.
"And the team leader will be — Olivia Owens."
The room erupted in polite applause. Emma grinned and nudged her. "Told you."
But Olivia didn't move. Her eyes blinked rapidly, her heart thumping hard in her chest. She wasn't prepared for this. Her mind was still halfway in that hospital room.
"Mr. Hayes," she began quietly, "I— I appreciate it, but—"
The principal interrupted gently, stepping closer. "Olivia, you've earned this. You've been our top science student for two years straight, and I believe this challenge might help you refocus. Sometimes doing what we love reminds us why we keep fighting."
The words sank deep into her heart. She nodded slowly. "Thank you, sir."
As the room cleared, Emma placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Peter would've been proud, you know," she said softly.
Olivia smiled faintly. "Yeah… he would've teased me first, then smiled that annoying confident smile of his."
Over the next few days, Olivia and her team — Emma, Ryan, and Grace — began preparing for the competition. They stayed late after school, brainstorming ideas, conducting experiments, and building models.
But no matter how busy she got, Olivia never missed her evening visits to the hospital. She would bring her notes and talk to Peter as if he were still sitting beside her in the lab.
"Guess what?" she said one night, holding a test tube up in front of his bed as if he could see it. "We got our first model to work today — hydrogen reaction stability. I almost blew up the lab, but hey, progress, right?" She gave a small laugh. "I'm doing this for you, Peter. You promised we'd go to D.C. together. I'm not backing out now."
Mrs. Susan, who had been watching from the corner, smiled warmly. "You talk to him like he's just asleep."
Olivia glanced at her. "Because I believe he can hear me."
Mrs. Susan nodded slowly. "Then keep talking, sweetheart. Maybe your voice is the one thing he's holding on to."
Meanwhile, life for John and Amelia Owens was slowly finding balance again. Amelia's shifts at the hospital were long, but she had learned to smile more when she came home. John, too, had found some light in his days — though he still carried the weight of his recent courtroom loss.
That changed one quiet afternoon when his office phone rang.
"Mr. Owens?" came the voice on the other end — the familiar tone of his client, Mr. Fash.
"Yes, this is John," he replied cautiously.
"You might want to sit down for this," the man said, a hint of excitement in his tone. "The government just reached out. They've reviewed the property case. Apparently, a new board wants to settle privately — full reinstatement of my assets, pending a payment condition. Your defense statement played a huge role in turning their decision."
John leaned back in disbelief. "You mean… they're returning your property?"
"Exactly. You didn't lose that case, John. You set the foundation for this turnaround."
John exhaled deeply, a rare smile spreading across his face. "That's… incredible news. Thank you for letting me know."
When he hung up, he sat in silence for a moment, soaking in the relief. After everything—the stress, the sleepless nights—finally, something good had found its way back.
That evening at dinner, John shared the news with Amelia and Olivia.
"They're reopening the case," he said, barely able to hide his grin. "The government accepted the settlement. It's officially a win."
Amelia smiled, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. "I knew it. You deserved this."
Olivia smiled faintly, her voice soft. "That's amazing, Dad. I'm proud of you."
John looked at her, warmth filling his eyes. "You know," he said, "I think we're all getting our second chances — in our own ways."
Olivia didn't say anything at first. She thought of Peter, of the stillness in his hospital bed, and of the small twitch she had felt in his fingers days ago. She couldn't explain it, but somehow, hope was beginning to breathe again.
That night, she wrote in her journal — something she hadn't done since the accident.
"Peter, it's been a week. I miss you every second, but I'm leading the science team, just like you always said I would. I hope you wake up soon, because I want you to see what we'll accomplish together. Maybe healing doesn't start when pain ends — maybe it starts when we refuse to stop believing."
The days ahead would test her strength, her focus, and her heart. But for the first time since the crash, Olivia Owens finally had something to hold onto — hope.
And somewhere, beneath the soft hospital lights, Peter's finger moved again — slow, faint, but unmistakably alive.
It was the beginning of a miracle in motion.