Morning light crept through the curtains, soft and lazy.
But Aria didn't feel soft or lazy.
She felt awake.
Alive.
Angry.
And… ready.
The memories of last night still burned in her mind.
Jace's smirk.
Tessa's triumphant eyes.
The way they thought she was gone.
They didn't know.
Not yet.
Aria got out of bed, ignoring the soreness in her limbs.
Today was the first day of something new.
The first day she stopped being a victim and started… something else.
She didn't know what "something else" looked like yet.
She didn't need to.
She just knew it had to start.
She grabbed her headphones and walked into the city.
The streets were alive, oblivious to the storm inside her.
People laughed. Couples held hands. Friends whispered secrets.
And Aria watched them all, a tiny, sharp smile forming on her lips.
Because she was starting to notice something.
She was watching.
Learning.
Waiting.
A store window caught her reflection.
The old Aria stared back first.
Confused. Hurt. Fragile.
Then she blinked.
And the girl in the reflection changed.
Her jaw tighter. Eyes sharper.
The smallest curve of a smile appeared — not weak, not fake, but dangerous in a way Jace and Tessa wouldn't recognize.
And for the first time, Aria felt… powerful.
As she walked down the crowded street, she accidentally bumped into someone.
"Watch where you're going, girl!"
Aria looked up.
An older woman, maybe in her sixties, with sharp eyes and a frown, glared at her.
"Excuse me?" Aria said, startled.
"You're lucky I didn't drop my groceries!" the woman snapped.
Aria raised an eyebrow. "I'm the lucky one. You almost knocked me into the fountain over there."
The woman blinked. Then huffed. "I don't know who you think you are."
"Oh, I'm just Aria," she said, smirking. "And who are you, the cranky lady of the century?"
The woman's frown deepened.
"Cranky? Me? Watch your mouth, young lady."
Aria laughed, even though her chest still burned with last night's memories.
"You know, for someone so grumpy, you're… kind of funny."
The woman hesitated, blinking at her.
"Funny, huh? You have a lot of nerve, I'll give you that."
Aria shrugged.
"Life's too short to tiptoe around everyone."
The woman's eyes softened just a little.
"You're bold," she said quietly. "And… honest. Not many people are like that these days."
Aria tilted her head.
"Honest, huh? I've been told I'm brutally honest."
The woman chuckled unexpectedly.
"Well… maybe you're not so bad."
Aria grinned.
"Don't get used to it, lady."
They helped each other pick up the scattered groceries, laughing quietly as they did.
By the time they finished, the woman gave Aria a small nod.
"You know… I think you'll go far, girl. Just… keep that fire of yours burning."
Aria felt a strange warmth in her chest.
A little spark.
Something about this encounter made her feel… capable.
Like she could face the world, and win.
The fire inside her wasn't polite.
It didn't wait.
It demanded attention.
And for the first time that morning, Aria smiled — not the fragile smile of yesterday, but a smile that belonged to someone who was just getting started.