"Claire… wake up, my love," a soft voice rang in her ears. The young woman, still nestled in the warmth of her bed, grunted in her sleep.

"Five more minutes, Mom," she mumbled, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Her mother, Margaret Bennett, chuckled softly, brushing her fingers through Claire’s hair. "My love, you’re going to be late for college," she said gently.

Claire’s eyes shot open, darting to the clock on her bedside table. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Oh no—I'm late!" she exclaimed, throwing off the covers and scrambling to her feet.

Margaret placed a calming hand on her daughter’s shoulder, steadying her. "Claire, calm down. You still have time. Hmm? Go get ready, and I’ll be downstairs making your breakfast," she said with a smile, pressing a kiss to Claire’s forehead.

Claire let out a relieved sigh and nodded. "Thanks, Mom," she said, rushing to the bathroom.

Inside, she splashed cold water on her face, the refreshing sensation waking her up fully. As she brushed her teeth and combed her hair, her mind ran through the day ahead—classes, assignments, and meeting her friends. She chose a simple yet chic outfit, pairing her favorite jeans with a light sweater, and hurried downstairs.

She was halfway down the stairs when her father, Robert Bennett, appeared at the bottom, holding his morning coffee.

"Claire, don’t run, sweetheart," he said, his voice a mix of concern and authority. "It’s not good for your health."

Claire slowed her pace, rolling her eyes playfully. "Dad, I’m fine. It’s just a little rush," she replied with a sheepish grin.

Robert raised an eyebrow, setting his coffee down on the counter. "We’ve talked about this, Claire. You need to take care of yourself. No unnecessary stress, remember?"

Margaret chimed in from the kitchen, placing a plate of toast and eggs on the table. "Your father’s right, love. You’ve been doing so well—let’s keep it that way."

Claire sighed, knowing they meant well. "I know, I know. I’ll be careful, promise," she said, grabbing a piece of toast and taking a bite.

Robert smiled, patting her shoulder. "That’s my girl."

After finishing her breakfast, Claire grabbed her bag and stepped outside. The crisp morning air greeted her, and she inhaled deeply, feeling the faint chill of autumn.

Just as she reached the driveway, a sleek car pulled up in front of her house. The window rolled down, revealing her best friend, Sophie, with a teasing grin on her face.

"Your driver is here," Sophie said, her tone dripping with mock seriousness.

Claire laughed, opening the car door and sliding into the passenger seat. "God, not this again," she muttered, shaking her head.

Sophie smirked, putting the car in gear. "What can I say? I live to serve."

As the car sped off toward campus, Claire leaned back in her seat, her smile fading slightly as her thoughts drifted. On the outside, she looked like any other 21-year-old—a bright, spirited college student with her whole life ahead of her. But inside, she carried a burden most her age couldn’t imagine.

Claire had been diagnosed with coronary heart disease at 19. It was rare for someone so young, and though her doctors had tried their best, the prognosis was clear—it wasn’t curable. She managed it with medication and lifestyle changes, but the disease loomed over her like a shadow, a constant reminder of her fragility.

Her current doctor, Dr. Laura Hayes, had been kind and supportive throughout her journey. Claire trusted her implicitly, but even Dr. Hayes couldn’t change the reality of her condition.

Despite it all, Claire refused to let her illness define her. She went to college, hung out with her friends, and tried to live each day as fully as she could.

"So, what’s the plan for today?" Sophie asked, breaking the silence.

Claire forced a smile, pushing her thoughts aside. "The usual—classes, assignments, and trying not to fall asleep in Professor Whitman’s lecture."

Sophie laughed. "Good luck with that. You know he could put a rock to sleep."

Claire joined in the laughter, grateful for Sophie’s ability to lighten her mood. As they pulled into the campus parking lot, she took a deep breath, steeling herself for another day.

Claire stepped out of the car, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she joined the steady stream of students heading toward the main building. The familiar buzz of campus life surrounded her—friends chatting, professors hurrying to classes, and the occasional skateboarder weaving through the crowd.

"See you at lunch?" Sophie called out, locking her car.

"Definitely," Claire replied, giving her a quick wave before heading to her first class.

Her morning began with Professor Whitman’s economics lecture. True to Sophie’s prediction, his monotone voice and endless slides made it nearly impossible to stay awake. Claire stifled a yawn, doodling absentmindedly in her notebook as she tried to focus.

"Miss Bennett," Professor Whitman’s voice cut through her thoughts, making her sit up straight.

"Yes, Professor?" she asked, her cheeks flushing as the entire class turned to look at her.

"Perhaps you’d like to share your thoughts on the elasticity of demand in the current housing market?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

Claire swallowed nervously, her mind scrambling for an answer. "Uh, well… the elasticity would depend on factors like income levels, availability of substitutes, and consumer preferences," she said, hoping it was enough to satisfy him.

Professor Whitman nodded, though his expression remained neutral. "Adequate response. Pay attention, Miss Bennett."

"Yes, sir," she murmured, sinking into her seat as the class chuckled softly.

When the lecture finally ended, Claire hurried out of the room, relieved to escape the professor’s scrutiny. She had just reached her locker when her friend Mia appeared, grinning widely.

"Hey, Claire! You survived Whitman’s torture chamber, I see," Mia teased, leaning against the lockers.

"Just barely," Claire replied with a laugh, spinning the combination lock.

Mia tilted her head, her grin fading slightly. "You okay? You look a little pale."

Claire hesitated, then forced a smile. "I’m fine. Just didn’t sleep well last night."

Mia frowned but didn’t press further. "Well, if you need a pick-me-up, there’s a coffee cart near the library. They have these amazing caramel lattes."

"Thanks, I’ll check it out," Claire said, grabbing her books.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur of lectures and note-taking. By lunchtime, Claire was feeling the familiar fatigue creeping in. Her condition often left her low on energy, but she pushed through, determined not to let it hold her back.

She met Sophie and Mia in the cafeteria, where they snagged a table by the window.

"So, guess what?" Sophie said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"What?" Claire asked, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"That cute guy from the literature department? He asked me out!" Sophie exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat.

"Finally!" Mia said, laughing. "You’ve been crushing on him for weeks."

Claire smiled, genuinely happy for her friend. "That’s amazing, Soph. When’s the date?"

"Saturday night," Sophie said, her cheeks flushing. "I’m so nervous!"

"You’ll be fine," Claire assured her. "Just be yourself."

As her friends chatted about Sophie’s upcoming date, Claire found herself zoning out, her mind drifting to the appointment she had later that week with Dr. Hayes. It wasn’t just a routine check-up—there had been some changes in her recent test results, and she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in her gut.

"Claire? Earth to Claire!" Sophie’s voice snapped her back to reality.

"Huh? Sorry, what?" Claire said, blinking.

"I asked if you’re coming to the library after lunch," Sophie said, eyeing her curiously.

"Yeah, sure," Claire replied, though her heart wasn’t in it.

After lunch, the trio headed to the library, where they spent the next couple of hours working on assignments. Claire tried to focus, but her thoughts kept returning to her health.

As the day came to an end, Claire packed up her things and headed outside, where Sophie was waiting by her car.

"Need a ride home?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah, thanks," Claire said, climbing into the passenger seat.

The drive home was quiet, the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her. When Sophie pulled up in front of her house, Claire forced a smile.

"Thanks for the ride. See you tomorrow," she said, stepping out of the car.

"Anytime. Take care, Claire," Sophie said, giving her a small wave before driving off.

Claire stood in the driveway for a moment, staring at the fading sunlight. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the heaviness in her chest.