Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Madeleine admitted it. "Yeah, I'm getting old. I can only guide two,"

Hans mumbled, his lips curling in a moue of discontent. It was evident the third slot was for Madeleine, yet she would not admit it outright.

"Ms. Payne. Oh? Mr. Olson is here, too?" Carlisle strolled in with two younger students, setting down a bouquet of fresh sunflowers on the table. "We're just here to check on Ms. Payne."

Amidst the casual conversation, one of the students mentioned, "I heard a freshman this year is brilliant. Got straight into the combined Bachelor-Master-PhD track."

At Kingswell University's School of Life Sciences, it'd been almost a decade since anyone got into the direct PhD track from undergrad, and no more than three students had managed it.

"This freshman won gold at the International Mathematical Olympiad and the International Informatics Olympiad last year, securing her spot in our department."

"Two gold medals? That's pretty cool. But I remember a senior. She must have been one of Ms. Payne's students, who entered undergrad with four gold medals, one in math, physics, chemistry, and computer science each! What was her name? Rose or something like Anne?"

"Looks like it's about time!" Hans interjected, "You guys should head back to campus."

"Oh, alright then. We'll be off."

"Yeah."

the room, the one who had brought up the senior looked visibly downcast. "Carlisle, did I say something wrong? Ms. Payne and

Carlisle looked equally puzzled.

"Those students didn't mean

lips trembled uncontrollably, and tears began to well up in her eyes, eventually spilling over. "She was such a genius. She shouldn't have... Why didn't she value

met? She said she wanted love. Hah, she wanted love? She broke

stood with the lunchbox in

'I'm sorry... Ms. Payne...'

couldn't muster the courage to enter, leaving the lunchbox at the nurses' station. "This is for Ms. Payne. Could you please give it to

called out to her. "Hey, you haven't left your

out of the hospital building, gasping for the fresh

woman with flawless makeup approached her, her heels clicking on the pavement, swinging a classic

her hair cascading over her shoulders. It

hospital?" Hertha glanced at the building. The general ward was not for maternity check-ups. Hertha breathed

managed

noticed it. "Why are your eyes so red? Have you

Roseanne remained silent.