ia B

but the room gradually came into focus. I was lying in an

I asked, my

laimed, rushing to my

t are you doing here? Where are

." My uncle hurried out of the room-which I now realized was a hospital ward. He returned shortly

I couldn't understand any of it. "Can someon

nything, sweetheart?"

slowly, the fragments pi

out, but Mom was tired, so he decided to drive anyway. The road was slick, and the rain was so heavy we could barely see. Out of

ch my forehead, only to find

manded, panic rising.

ace. Meanwhile, my grandmother, Margot, stood rigid

you to stay calm. You've been in a coma for over a month. It's

y parents and my brother?" I

to the hope that they were just hurt, re

xpression heavy. "You were the only survivor of the cr

hat's impossible. This is a

over my cheeks

's lying. They're fi

e-cold. "They are dead. The sooner you

not true! It's not t

t the bed. Marcos rushed forward, wrapping

ave to stay calm. I'm right here with you." His

nd my brother-so young, so full of ambition. Mike was the one who deserved to live, n

Marcos shouted. "She's

gan violently ripping the IV line

edative," Miguel order

shrieked. "Mike had his whole life ahead

ustion dragged me under. I plunged into a welcoming d

eek l

r this, Liv?" Marcos asked

nd their funeral or say goodbye. I need to visit their gra

all the time you need to grieve. I'll be waitin

nk you," I

grabbed his car keys, an

yone in town had loved my family. Mike had been incredibly popular, just like my parents. I was the o

kly at his headstone. It bore a beautiful photo of him flashin

. "It should be me in the ground, not you.

. "How long are you going to keep giving up on your dreams and hiding who you are just to pleas

eeks. He was right. He had tru

is meant to be lived intensely. And I will live. I'll move forward and find

t, shifting my gaze between his headstone and my parents'. Only w

I don't know why, but I promise I'll make the most of this second chance. I swear,

t my face, rustling my hair. Deep down,

er letting out so much of my pain and speaking to

e better?" Marcos asked the momen

r," I said, stepping in

ractically disowned by the family for coming out as gay, Mike and I ha

ut through the hall. "We need to have a serious talk.

er, my grandmother turned o

only been two days since you were discharged, and w

the pills. I swallowed them dry without

's go. Grandma doesn't l

living room. We had barely taken a seat o

rigid. "You have no reason to be here anymore. Olivia is recovering, and your bro

e Marcos can stay in my house for as long as he wants." I grabbed his arm,

Margot corre

?" I asked, frown

ed flatly. "And he is not staying here.

couch. "What do you mean?

property, and I am putting it on the market. You are coming

mories are in these walls. You can't take this away

the house, and you are living with me. You'll learn how to manage the

er own son, yet she was acting with absolute, ruthless

ding who you are just to please everyone else? You only live on

, my voice steadying. "And I'm not working in your

ime I had ever tru

a dry, moc

re exactly are you going to live? H

me in New York," Marcos in

scoffed. "Oh, don

, Dad helped me. He paid for my education, and today, I'm an executive at one of the biggest tech companies in the world

rgot spat. "I'm just surprised a compan

dma," I said, my voice thick with disgust. I turne