The girl blinked and slowly stepped inside. Her eyes were wide, taking it all in. She looked around, then at Lucas, and said, "It's... perfect."
Lucas smiled, feeling a little proud of himself. "Good. I'm glad you like it."
She turned to him, her eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and determination. "Thank you, Lucas," she said softly. "You... you really saved me. I don't know what I would've done without you."
Lucas waved it off with a chuckle. "No need to thank me."
She nodded, feeling a new spark of hope she hadn't felt in a long time. She walked over to the little desk by the window and set her bag down.
"I'll work hard. I promise. I won't let you down."
Lucas smiled. "That's all I want to hear."
As he turned to leave, she called out to him. "Wait, Lucas." He stopped and looked at her.
"I… I'll make it worth it. One day, I'll pay you back. Ten thousand times," she said, her voice steady, but the determination in her eyes spoke louder than her words.
