Back in the room, after Liam leave
Layla, now all alone, was hit by a strong wave of feelings and memories that overwhelmed her mind.
"Dad... Mom... Are you really gone?" She thought, her heart aching with a deep, sharp pain.
She remembered the weekends when her dad would try to cook, with her mom teasing him gently, and the whole house filled with the smell of burnt toast.
Their laughter, once a warm and comforting presence in Layla's life, was now a happiness that once was but would never be again.
"My graduation... it was supposed to be my stepping stone," Layla mused, sinking into a blend of dreams and regret.
She had painted a vivid picture in her mind of that day: donning the black graduation cap and gown, feeling its tassel brush against her cheek as she moved, holding the tangible proof of her years of hard work - the degree - tightly in her hands.
