LILLY POVđŚ
I stood at the edge of the quad, heart pounding like a drum in my chest. The morning sun was bright, almost cruelly cheerfulâtoo bright for how I felt. Today was my first real day as a student again. Not just a cleaner who happened into a scholarship, but a student with a desk, a schedule, and expectations.
I smoothed the front of my crisp white blouseâhandâmeâdown from last year's donation pile, but freshly ironedâand checked my reflection in my phone screen. My curls were pinned back; my secondhand backpack sat snug on my shoulders. I took a steadying breath.
You earned this.
I whispered it like a prayer and stepped forward.
---
The quad was buzzing. Clusters of students huddled over phones or notebooks; everyone seemed to have someplace important to be. I felt a tug of panic. Every eye that brushed past me might be judging: Did she really deserve this? Is she just a janitor playing dressâup?
I forced my shoulders back and headed for the science buildingâthe site of my first lecture. Each step felt heavy, echoing with memories of scrubbing these same floors at dawn, when no one else was awake. Now I walked among them.
A group of firstâyears veered past me, laughing at something on their phones. One of themâher hair dyed silverâslowed as she passed.
"Hey, you're Lilly Lorenzo, right? Grant recipient?" she asked, eyes bright.
I froze. "Yes." My voice sounded too loud.
Her smile was genuine. "Congratulations. I'm Marisol." She held out her hand. I shook it, surprised by how warm mine felt afterward.
"Thanks," I managed.
"See you in Chem Lab?" she said, already walking on.
Small kindness, I thought, and tucked it away. I wondered how many more surprises the day held.
---
Inside the science building, the walls were cool and sterile. The 8:30âŻAM lecture on molecular biology was already halfway through when I slipped into the back row. Every seat felt smaller, every desk harder. I waited for a snide whisper, a pointed stareâbut nothing happened. The professor, Dr. Nguyen, spoke in a calm, measured tone, unaware of my entrance.
I sank into my seat, kept my head down, and tried to focus on the colorful diagrams projected at the front. My pen hovered over my notebook, but I realized I'd forgotten my lab coat. Under the table, I stuffed my hands into my pockets to hide them.
I can do this, I told myself.
During a pause in the lecture, Dr. Nguyen scanned the room. His gaze landed on me.
"Ms. Lorenzo, is there something you'd like to share with the class?" he asked, voice echoing.
My cheeks burned. "Um, no, Professor. I'm⌠sorryâjust late."
He nodded, turned back to the board. "Alright, then. If you have questions, see me after class."
I exhaled and pretended to write furiously, though my mind was racing.
---
After the lecture, I navigated the hallway toward the biology lab. The corridor was narrower than I remembered, lockers pressed tight against the walls. My nameplate hung at eye level: Lilly Lorenzo â đđđđźđđžđ đđđźđđ đđžđđđđźđ . I touched it, as if to reassure myself it was real.
Then I heard laughterâa sharp, mocking trill. I looked up and saw Samantha at her locker, surrounded by her usual entourage. Her smile was predatory.
"Look who it is," she called out, loud enough for others to hear. "The miracle student. How's the mop bucket treating you now?"
A hush fell. Footsteps slowed. I felt myself flushâhot, exposed.
I took a breath and squared my shoulders. "Good morning, Samantha." I met her gaze. "Isn't it a bit early for this?"
Her lips curved into a cold smile. "For some of us, the day starts before the sweepers leave." She snapped her locker shut and turned on her heel, her friends scattering behind her.
A few students glanced at me sympathetically. One boy in a history Tâshirt gave me a thumbsâup before heading to his class.
I forced a nod of thanks and moved on. My heart raced, but my spine stayed straight.
---
The biology lab was a bright room of tall windows and gleaming metal tables. I spotted Marisol waving at me beside a microscope. I joined her.
"Lab coat?" she whispered.
I shook my head.
She shrugged and held out her spare. "Don't mention it. I've got two."
I hesitated, then slipped it on over my blouse. The fabric smelled faintly of detergent and formaldehyde. But it felt like armor.
Marisol introduced me to the group: two other undergrads and a graduate student named Theo. They eyed me curiously, but when I began assisting with the sample slides, they treated me like any other partnerâcadence of pipettes and glass slides becoming our shared language.
For the first time today, I started to believe.
---
Between classes, I found myself in the cafeteriaâthis time, as a student rather than a cleaner. The lunch rush was in full swing. I queued for a salad, balancing my books in one arm. As I reached the counter, my phone buzzed.
It was a text from Mum:
> How did it go? Proud of youâdon't forget to breathe. â¤ď¸
I typed back quickly:
> Still standing. â¤ď¸
Then I saw him.
Luca. Standing by the salad bar, nodding to someone. He looked over at me, our eyes meeting across the room. There was relief thereâlike he'd been watching and worrying.
I walked over.
He handed me a water bottle. "Here."
"Thanks." I took it, shrugging as if it was the most normal thing to receive from the university's billionaire heir.
"How are you holding up?" he asked, quiet enough that only I could hear.
"Better," I said. "Except for that breakfast with Samantha."
He rolled his eyes. "Ignore her."
I sipped my water. "It helped, though." I gestured to Marisol and the others. "People are⌠okay."
He offered a small, proud smile. "Told you."
I hesitated. "You proud of me?"
He reached out, brushing a stray curl from my forehead. "More than you know."
My chest tightened, but I blinked it away. "Class next?"
He glanced at his watch. "Statsâroom 214. I'll walk with you."
Together, we moved through the crowd of students, our footprints intersecting two worlds.
---
The afternoon was a blur of lectures and noteâtaking. Every so often, I'd glance at Lucaâat his determined stride, the way he nodded at someone in the hallway, the way his eyes softened when ours met. I wondered if he knew how powerful that was, to remind me I wasn't alone.
After my last class, I headed back to the cleaning supply room to clock back in for my shift. The contrast was jarringâsweeping floors next to mopping them, just as I had yesterday, and the day before.
My manager, Mrs. Glenna, glanced up. "Grantsuit?"
I grinned. "Grant recipient."
She nodded, as if that was enough.
---
That evening, I returned home to Mum's proud smile and Liam's excited questions.
"Tell me everything!" he demanded before I could even take off my shoes.
I laughed, pulling him into a hug. "Slow down, champ. One thing at a time."
Mum squeezed my hand. "How was it?"
"Challenging," I admitted. "But real. I think⌠I think I can do this."
They beamed, and for the first time in a long time, I felt home in both worlds.
---
Later, as I lay in bed, exhaustion finally catching up, I thought of Samantha's glare, Marisol's kindness, Theo's nod of approval, Luca's quiet strength.
Tomorrow, I'd face more whispers. More tests. More proof I belonged.
But tonight, for the first time, I wasn't invisibleâor afraid.
I was Lilly Lorenzo. Legacy Grant scholar. Student. Fighter.
And I was ready.