Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

It was the middle of winter break, and most students were off enjoying their holidays, leaving the campus looking like a ghost town.

The security guard spotted her standing at the gate, sizing her up with a quick glance. "Must be college break, here to visit your teachers, huh?"

Despite it being the holidays, a buzz of activity remained as seniors were stuck in prep classes for their final exams.

Before Roseanne could utter a word, the guard, with his hands clasped behind his back, waved her in, clearing his throat softly, "Go on in, but keep it down. Don't disturb the seniors in session." Roseanne thought to herself, "Silence is golden," indeed.

She wasn't there to see any teachers, so she steered clear of the academic buildings.

Instead, she wandered around the sports field a couple of times before deciding to leave. On her way out, she passed by the school's trophy case.

And there it was, her own photograph.

Beneath it, a small inscription read:

"Roseanne: Class of 20xx, Valedictorian in Science, accepted into the Biology program at Kingswell University."

The wind was picking up, causing her to avert her face slightly.

and danced in a mini whirlwind on the ground.

from the wind, ready to leave, when suddenly, she heard someone cry

it was

the previous night, during the Super Bowl party, that he had to drop

you're early. Don't you have tons to

greeting came from a

the same faculty housing

Physics, sharing the research group with Norris. While Norris took the honors

student, but her daughter, Teresa, was in the same class

smile.

Roseanne, she's not

Helen continued, "It's just... she's changed ever since going off to Lumina City for college. Abandoning her studies, and now, it

to interject,

taking shortcuts like some misguided youngster, just goes to show how the glitz of the big citycan blind

"Who says

faltered as she realized she might have said

Norris' expression? She hadn't made