The morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains of Daisy’s small college apartment, casting a warm, golden glow over the cluttered desk and the stacks of textbooks she had carefully arranged for the day. The first day of her final year had arrived, and with it came the mix of excitement and quiet apprehension that often accompanied such milestones. Outside, the city hummed awake, but inside this little world, everything felt calm, steady—familiar.

Daisy stretched as she sat up, the sheets slipping from her shoulders like a whispered goodbye to sleep. The room was modest but cozy, decorated with framed photos of friends and family, a few canvases she had...