From Bullets To Billions

The morning light shone into little Mira's eyes, and slowly, she began to stir. As she shifted under the covers, she realized she had never felt a quilt so soft before, warm yet light, like she was wrapped in a gentle cloud.

Blinking herself awake, Mira took in her surroundings and quickly noticed that this wasn't her bed. In fact, the room was bigger than her entire old apartment.

"Am I in a hospital?" Mira wondered. "No, that can't be it… that hospital smell isn't here."

Then, little by little, her memory came back. The events of the previous day, why she had cried so much, why her eyes felt so swollen and tired, it all returned.

A part of her wanted to just close her eyes again and go back to sleep. At least while she was asleep, she didn't have to think about any of it. She could forget, even if just for a little while.

Eventually, curiosity pulled her from the bed. She made her way toward the window and gave the curtain a small tug. To her surprise, it began to automatically pull itself open.

She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sudden brightness, but as her eyes adjusted, she couldn't help but stare in amazement.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows stretched a breathtaking view of the ocean. She was high up in an apartment that overlooked the sea, something she had only ever seen in TV shows or movies.

Mira had always thought she was too young to care about views like this, but after everything that had happened recently, somehow the sight of the calm waves brought her a strange sense of peace. It was beautiful.

"Ah, right… I was in that Mister Vidal's car," Mira remembered. "He told me he was taking me to his apartment. I must've fallen asleep, and he brought me here."

Eventually, Mira gathered enough courage to leave the room, even though she didn't really want to. She didn't feel hungry. She still didn't know what to think about not seeing her brother ever again.

But there was one reason she decided to come out, to say thank you.

As she stepped out into the living space, she saw Mr. Vidal placing plates of food on a dining table.

Before she could say a word, Mira's eyes widened in awe at the stunning living room and dining area. The space was grand and open. A fancy island counter was lined with every kind of cooking tool she could imagine. On the far side, the windows continued to showcase that gorgeous ocean view.

Yet even more dazzling than the apartment itself was Mr. Aron Vidal, smiling warmly as he set the final plate down.

"I figured you'd sleep in for a while," Aron said, turning toward her. "I know you probably won't feel hungry, but it's important that you eat, especially at your age and with your condition."

Mira didn't want to impose too much on the stranger who had taken her in, so she nodded quietly and took a seat at the table, even though her stomach felt too heavy to eat.

"While you're eating, I'll explain a few things," Aron continued gently. "First, there's no longer any need for you to stay at the hospital.

"I received your latest checkup reports, and they show that you're in a good enough condition to be treated at home, using the latest medicine available."

He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing.

"Doctors will visit daily to monitor your progress and make sure everything is going smoothly. At the moment, they believe that in about two months, you should be strong enough to go back to school."

Mira stared down at her plate, her fork unmoving. Her appetite hadn't returned, but the shock of what she was hearing had gripped her more than the food could.

She could go back to school? She didn't have to stay in the hospital? These were things she had never dared to dream of.

Recently, thanks to her brother, her health had begun improving with the new medication. And now, this?

"In the meantime, you'll stay here," Aron said, his tone calm and kind. "If there's anything you're uncomfortable with, if you'd prefer to live with a female caretaker or in a separate dwelling with a guardian supervisor, please let me know.

"My job is to make your life as comfortable as possible. Tutors will also begin visiting you starting next week to keep up with your education."

Mira's throat tightened. Her life was changing so much, and so quickly. With her brother gone, and now all of this, she didn't know whether to feel happy or sad. It was too many emotions at once.

"I'll be here to help you every step of the way," Aron said, still smiling. "You don't have to rush anything. I'll handle it all."

His soft, sincere expression helped her relax just a little, but she still had questions.

"How… how are you able to do all of this?" Mira asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "And buy all this stuff? It must've cost a lot of money. Jay always said everything was expensive, but told me not to worry about it…"

Aron let out a small chuckle. "Thankfully, I have a good job, looking after your brother's friend. Do you remember Max, the boy you met? He's the one paying for all of this."

He leaned in slightly. "You don't need to feel guilty about any of it. This is all happening because of how amazing your brother was.

"For Max, the only way he can ease the pain of losing his friend is by helping you. So please, just accept it."

Mira nodded, wiping away fresh tears from her cheeks. She finally picked up her fork and took a bite. Despite her lack of appetite, the food was delicious. Before she knew it, she had cleaned the entire plate.

Once she was done, Aron cleared the table and returned with a large square box.

"There's only one thing I need you to do," he said gently, placing it in front of her. "Your brother's funeral, decide where you'd like it to be held, and who you'd like to invite. Everything else, I will take care of."

Mira nodded slowly, then placed her hand on top of the box.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's a gift Max wanted you to have. It was the last thing Max gave your brother."

She opened the lid, and inside was a jacket, her brother's Bloodline Jacket. The inside lining was a bright pink, soft and vibrant.

"This is what brought your brother and Max together," Aron explained. "And he wants you to have it now."

That same morning, earlier in the day, Max and Abby had woken up and decided to head to school together.

Max's clothes had dried overnight, and since it had been so late, he had ended up staying at Abby's place. Now, the two of them were walking side by side, heading toward school.

Nothing more had happened after they'd shared a kiss, but Abby found it difficult to even talk to Max. She knew returning to school would be tough after everything that had happened.

She also couldn't stop wondering how the other students would react.

As they passed through the front gate of the school, the pair were completely unaware that someone was watching them from a nearby vehicle.

"Oh? Walking with a girl so early in the morning?" a voice said from the car, the corner of his mouth curling into a smile. "And after everything that happened with you?"

Dud leaned forward in his seat, his gaze following the two students.

"Maybe this is something worth looking into," he muttered. "Shame though, I couldn't just take you out with that last one. Who would've thought students could be so brave?"