Ximena's POV
The dismissal bell echoed through the corridors, unleashing the familiar stampede of students desperate to escape. Locker doors banged shut, sneakers squeaked against linoleum, voices merged into an indistinguishable roar of freedom. Yet here I stood, methodically organizing my textbooks instead of joining the exodus.
Strange. Usually, I'd be the first one out, practically sprinting toward the exit like the building was on fire.
Today felt different. My fingers weren't shaking as I closed my locker. My chest wasn't constricted with that familiar knot of anxiety. Most shocking of all, no tears threatened to spill over.
I survived. Actually survived an entire Monday without crumbling.
"Look at this magnificent sight!" Glenda's voice cut through the hallway noise as she approached with theatrical grandeur. She draped her arm across my shoulders like she was crowning royalty. "Behold, Ximena, conquering Monday like the absolute warrior she is."
