051

                                    

                                          
Aurora sat in her room, the stillness of the night pressing in on her. Her thoughts churned like a storm—Miguel's kiss, Tory's confession, Sam's rage—it was all too much. She didn't know where to start, so she picked up her phone and texted her mom, who had been out of town for a work trip.
Aurora: Are you awake? I need you.
Moments later, her mom walked through the door, her expression a mix of concern and love. She sat down next to Aurora on the bed, brushing a hand over her hair like she used to when Aurora was little.
"What's wrong, honey?" her mom asked gently, her voice a soothing balm to Aurora's frayed nerves.
Aurora hesitated before speaking, her words tumbling out in a rush. "It's Miguel... and Tory... and everything. I don't even know where to start."
"Take your time," her mom encouraged. "I'm here."
Aurora let out a shaky breath and began recounting the night. She told her mom about seeing Miguel kiss another girl at the party, how it felt like her heart had been shattered all over again. She explained the confrontation with Sam and Tory, how Tory confessed that the All Valley tournament had been rigged, and the chaos that had followed. By the time she finished, tears were streaming down her face.
"I just... I feel like everything is falling apart," Aurora admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I was getting stronger, but tonight, it felt like I was right back at square one."
Her mom wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. "Aurora, listen to me. You are strong. So much stronger than you give yourself credit for. Do you know how proud I am of you? You've faced so much this past year, and instead of letting it break you, you've grown. You've figured out who you are, not just as a fighter, but as a person."
Aurora sniffled, leaning into her mom's warmth. "But I feel so lost. Miguel... I don't even know if I can forgive him. And Tory—why does it still hurt, even after knowing the truth about the tournament?"
"Because you care," her mom said simply. "You care about people, about what's right. And that's not a weakness, Aurora. It's what makes you who you are." She tilted Aurora's chin up to look her in the eyes. "But caring about others doesn't mean forgetting to care about yourself. You need to decide what's best for you now. Not Miguel, not Tory, not anyone else. You."
Aurora nodded slowly, her mom's words sinking in. "I don't know if I can trust Miguel again," she admitted, her voice trembling. "But I... I love him. I still love him, Mom. And he said the kiss meant nothing... we were broken up. So maybe I shouldn't be this upset, but I just... I don't know how to feel."
Her mom gave her a soft, understanding smile. "Aurora, love is complicated. It's messy, and it's not always fair. But what you're feeling is valid. You don't have to justify it, not to me, not to Miguel, not to anyone. It's okay to be hurt. It's okay to take the time to figure out what this means for you."
Aurora sighed, running her hands through her hair. "I hate that I feel this way. Like I'm stuck in this loop of loving him but being scared of getting hurt again. I thought I was finally moving forward, but tonight, it's like everything came rushing back."
Her mom took her hand, squeezing it gently. "Moving forward doesn't mean you stop loving someone. It means learning how to love yourself, too. You've grown so much, Aurora, and you've come to know who you are outside of Miguel. That's a beautiful thing. But now, you have to decide if you can let him back into your heart, knowing it might not be perfect."
Aurora bit her lip, her chest tightening. "I just... I don't know if I can trust him like I did before. But I can't imagine not having him in my life either."