All Chapters of Rising from the ash: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Chapter 31She walked over to the window, pressing her palms against the cool surface as she took in the view. She hadn’t spent much time on this side of the room before. From here, she had a clear view of the campus. Despite the darkening sky, the school grounds were still alive with activity. Students walked in groups, some chatting excitedly, others in deep discussion. A few hurried across the pathways, likely trying to get somewhere before it got too late. The light in the school flickered on, casting a kind glow over the walkways. The soft view of life outside reminded her that the world kept moving, no matter what she was dealing with personally. For a moment, Sophia allowed herself to relax. She watched as a group of students gathered around a bench, laughing over something. Another student jogged by, earphones in, focused on their own rhythm. There was something comforting about it all—the predictability of it, the way life went on regardless of how she felt. She sighe

Chapter 33 At the cafeteria, Sophia and her roommates had already settled in for dinner. The place was calmer than the night before—less crowded, students were not much there . It was a relief, really.They moved through the line quickly , each of them picking different meals from what they had chosen yesterday.it was equally nice as the previous days Mia, however, stuck with her usual—except this time, she added more protein to her plate. “You know I have to keep up the gains,it is healdt5,” she said with a grin when Sophia gave her a questioning look.Sophia shook her head with a laugh. “You’re serious about this, huh?”“Dead serious,” Mia replied, flexing her arm playfully. “Gotta stay strong.”Olivia, who had been quiet for most of the time, finally chimed in. “Honestly, I just want to eat in peace today. Yesterday was too much.”,plus that girl that was in here, banging on table and yapping about a broken phone about our face Sophia couldn’t help but agree, she had forgotten a

Chapter 35Ryan chuckled, shaking his head. “Tempting, but I’m trying to be better.” He looked at her then, his expression softer. “Thanks for sticking around, by the way.” Jessie shrugged. “Of course. You’re not as bad as you pretend to be, Ryan.” Ryan grinned. “Don’t ruin my reputation now.” "Come on, let’s get to our hostels. It’s getting dark out here," Jessie said, wrapping her arms around herself as the air grew a little chillier. Ryan smirked. “I’ll walk you to your dorm then. Let’s go.” Jessie shook her head. “You really don’t have to. I can walk there on my own.” Ryan gave her a knowing look. “Well, I insist. And besides, what kind of guy would I be if I just left you to walk alone at this hour?” Jessie rolled her eyes but smiled. “Fine, but only because I don’t feel like arguing.” As they started walking, Ryan looked at her, a slight frown on his face. “Hope I didn’t take up your whole day and ruin whatever plans you had?” Jessie stopped for a moment, as if

Chapter 37They went into the shower together."Don't tell me you guys are going to bathe together? You know what, I don't care. Just hurry it up, please."They didn’t take much time bathing; they were soon out of the shower, and Lana watched them move with their towels.As they got dressed and grabbed their things, Taylor asked, "Have you called Ryan yet?""No, why do I have to?" Lana responded. "You both should be the ones calling him for the shit you pulled yesterday."The conversation naturally drifted to the events of the previous day."We don't have to call him. He owes us an apology for coming in here and talking like that to us," Taylor replied in a cold tone."Yeah, ours is understandable," Zach called out as he pulled up his jeans. "But why haven’t you? Even if it’s just to ask if he got to school safe.""No, I don’t need to call him. I'm sure he’s fine.""So… you’re really avoiding Ryan, huh?" Zach teased as he slipped on his jacket.Lana sighed, running a hand through her

Chapter 39Sophia exhaled sharply, massaging her wrist as she stepped back. A part of her felt triumphant—seeing Katrina riled up was satisfying. But she didn’t have time for all this She needed to get to Pappies on time, and dealing with Katrina wasn’t on her to-do list. Pulling out her phone, she checked the time. She hadn’t made an official appointment, which she now wondered if she should have, but there was no going back. She had to at least show up and try. As she made her way toward Pappies, the cool afternoon breeze brushed against her skin. It was a short walk from her lecture hall, but it felt unfamiliar. This was the first time she had come to this side of the school, and she took in her surroundings as she walked. The atmosphere was quieter here, with fewer students loitering around. Most of them seemed busy, either in hushed conversations or heading toward different buildings. Sophia adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder and quickened her pace. She didn’t wa