The original book has been published
I’d been watching her for hours. The tension in Grace’s shoulders, the way she kept rubbing her temples as if trying to squeeze out more energy, more focus it wasn’t normal. I had seen this kind of exhaustion before in students who pushed themselves too hard, but this felt different. Something was off, but I didn’t know how to help her.
She was always so diligent, so determined. Her parents didn’t give her a break, and she didn’t give herself one either. It was hard to understand, honestly. The pressure they put on her, the way they used her as a tool for their success it was crushing. But Grace… she kept going. No matter how hard it was. No matter how little she seemed to care about her own well-being, she never stopped.
Then it happened.
I was talking about a passage in the textbook when I saw her sway slightly in her seat. I paused, watching her try to steady herself. Her face had turned pale, her lips pressed together in a tight line.
“Grace?” I asked cautiously, my voice breaking through the silence.
She didn’t respond. Her eyes were unfocused, glazed over. She lifted her hand to her forehead, but before she could say anything, her body went limp. She collapsed forward, hitting the desk with a loud thud, then slumping to the side.
My heart dropped.
I rushed to her side in an instant, my hands trembling as I checked her pulse. She was still breathing, but barely. Her skin was cold, too cold. Panic rose in my chest. I shouted for help, but no one else was around. I couldn’t waste time waiting for someone else to show up. I had to act fast.
“Grace,” I whispered, shaking her gently, hoping she’d wake up, but she didn’t.
I scooped her up, cradling her in my arms like a fragile doll, and rushed her to my car. My hands were shaking as I gripped the steering wheel, my mind racing with worry. Her parents were unreachable, as usual. I didn’t even bother calling them again. It wouldn’t make a difference. I needed to get her to the hospital, and fast.
At the hospital, the doctor didn’t waste any time. He ran a few tests before his face turned serious, and I knew something was terribly wrong. The words that came next almost didn’t register.
“Intracranial tumor.”
I stood there, frozen, as if the room had stopped spinning. This… this couldn’t be real. Grace? A tumor?
I tried to stay calm for her sake, but it wasn’t easy. I couldn’t fathom how this girl, who had lived her life so caught up in the pursuit of perfection, had ended up here, in this cold hospital bed. I watched her face, pale and motionless, as the doctor began explaining the situation, but none of his words seemed to matter. All I could focus on was the fact that she had pushed herself so hard too hard that it had finally broken her.
And I couldn’t help but wonder… how much of this was my fault? How many times had I let her go on, pushing herself past her limits, without stepping in to say, “Enough. You need to rest. You need to care for yourself”? I had been so caught up in the work, in helping her achieve what she thought she needed to achieve, that I didn’t see the signs. I didn’t see how badly she was hurting until it was too late.
Now, all I could do was watch over her, hoping that the girl who had given everything for others would have a chance to heal. But I knew one thing for sure: her parents wouldn’t be the ones to make sure of that. That responsibility fell on me now.
My debut novel, Diary of the Useless One, tells the story of a girl trapped in her family’s vision of perfection,her worth measured only by the glory she brings while her own struggles go unseen. As my first book, I’d love for you to show it some love and join me on this emotional journey. From poignant dramas to heart-stirring romances, my stories are designed to keep readers engaged, offering unexpected twists and heartfelt moments.
