Lilian wakes up to another beautiful morning in Texas, with the familiar sounds of car horns and dogs barking filling the air. As she slowly opens her eyes, she glances at the clock and realizes it's already a quarter past seven. Panic sets in as she quickly stumbles out of bed, trying to navigate through the sea of clothes and shoes scattered across her bedroom floor.

With a sense of urgency, Lilian rushes into the bathroom, barely avoiding a couple of near falls along the way. The warm water from the shower washes away the remnants of sleep from her eyes, but as she reaches for her towel, her gaze falls upon the alarm clock next to her bed. Her eyes widen in disbelief as she realizes just how late she is.

"I'm late!" she exclaims, her hands instinctively covering her face in frustration. Thoughts race through her mind as she contemplates the best course of action to salvage the situation. She knows she needs to act fast to make up for lost time.

Lilian quickly dries off and rushes back into her room, determined to find an outfit that will help her look presentable in a hurry. As she scans her wardrobe, she sees the perfect dress going slightly below her knees to still reveal parts of her legs, and then the fabric sitting well on her body hugging her firmly to show the curves she was always proud of. Lilian slips into a pair of comfortable heels, ready to conquer the day ahead.

After taking a moment to compose herself, Lilian grabs her bag and heads towards the kitchen. Though time is of the essence, she knows the importance of fueling her body for the day ahead. She quickly prepares a nutritious breakfast, opting for a smoothie packed with fresh fruits and a hint of ginger.

As she sips her smoothie, Lilian takes a deep breath, allowing herself a moment of calm amidst the chaos. She knows that even though the morning didn't start as planned, she has the power to turn things around.

Running late for work as usual and the Monday morning chaos seemed to conspire against her. But little did she know, this day held an unexpected twist that would change the course of her life.

As she finally reached the school gates, out of breath and with her hair all over the place, she came face-to-face with Mr. Thompson, the school principal. And knowing him, his expression was no joke. It was like he had just seen a ghost or something.

She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to catch her breath and gather herself. Lilian knew that whatever news Mr. Thompson had to share couldn't be good. His stern face was a dead giveaway. It was like he was about to drop a bombshell on her.

"Lilian, to my office immediately." Mr Thompson says looking and walking away from Lilian.

Lilian's heart sank as she prayed inside herself for something to go right just once this morning.

She followed Mr. Thompson silently, her mind racing with worry. Different thoughts ran free as talked to herself in her head.

"What could this be about?"

"Have I done something wrong?"

"I'm just a few minutes late, could that be the issue?"

"Is he still pissed cause I turned him down again last week Friday?"

As Lilian walked into the room, she could feel tension in the principal's office. Mr. Thompson was already sitting in his worn-out office chair, fixing his eyes on her with an intense look that made her shiver. It was as if he had become a newscaster delivering a report.

Without wasting any time, Mr. Thompson began speaking straightforwardly and directly, his words leaving no room for interpretation. His eyes bore into Lilian, showing no signs of remorse or sympathy. It was clear that he meant business.

The weight of his words hung in the air, and Lilian couldn't help but feel a mix of anxiety and curiosity. She braced herself for the devastating news Mr. Thompson was about to deliver. It felt like waiting for the final verdict in a courtroom drama.

But Lilian, being the resilient and strong-willed person that she was, refused to let her emotions overwhelm her. She squared her shoulders and met Mr. Thompson's gaze head-on, determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

As Mr. Thompson continued to speak, his words hitting her like a punch to the gut, Lilian felt like the ground would swallow her. She knew that she had to stay strong and find a way to overcome whatever obstacles were thrown her way.

"Lilian, I'm sorry to inform you that your services are no longer needed, due to the cut in the school budget, we have to let you go as a teacher.

Lilian shows signs of disbelief. After so many years of educating and putting her heart and soul into her students, losing the only job that gave her her daily bread was now gone, It felt like a betrayal to her.

"It's completely normal to feel shocked and disbelieving in such a situation," Thompson says in a calm yet unremorseful tone.

"Just know that your hard work and dedication will surely lead you to new opportunities." He adds as he looks away from her and stares into his daily time newspaper placing his legs over his desk.

Lilian's heart skipped a beat as the sound of a flushing toilet echoed through the office, followed by the entrance of none other than the formidable vice principal, Miss Martha. Lilian couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over her, knowing that Miss Martha always seemed to have a perpetually scowling expression on her face.

With deep lines etched on her face, it was clear that Miss Martha had weathered many years of discontent. Her sharp and piercing eyes seemed to be constantly on the lookout for any signs of wrongdoing from students and teachers alike. It was as if she had developed a sixth sense for catching even the smallest problem.

Carrying herself with an air of superiority, Miss Martha made it known that she was in control. Her position as vice principal gave her the authority to assert herself over others. And while it was easy to make assumptions about her marital status, it's important to remember that everyone's personal life is their own business. Whether or not someone is married doesn't define their worth or character.

Despite the intimidating presence of Miss Martha, Lilian knew that she had to maintain professionalism. After all, she had faced challenges before and came out stronger on the other side.

As Miss Martha approaches

" You have so much to offer, and I do not doubt that you'll find somewhere even better." Miss Martha voices as she walks to Lilian in an act to console her.

But Lilian sees through her charade and turns away with tears gathering up in her eyes. Miss Martha gets the message and goes to sit just in front of Mr Thompson's desk on the other end of him.

With her gaze still on her and sarcasm filled in her tone she says. "Remember sometimes a setback can be a setup for a comeback."

Feeling like a motivational speaker she smiles to herself and hurries to bury her face into her laptop.

Lilian stood outside the school, her heart heavy with a mix of sadness and uncertainty. It felt like a chapter of her life had abruptly come to an end, leaving her feeling lost and empty. The weight of leaving behind her beloved classroom, the students she had grown to care for, and the routine she had become so accustomed to was overwhelming.

As she walked away from the school, memories flooded her mind. She recalled the laughter and joy that filled the classroom, the moments of triumph when a student finally grasped a difficult concept, and the bonds she had formed with her colleagues. It was those moments that made it so difficult to say goodbye.

Lilian seeks an open space in the nearby park. Finding that quiet bench and burying her face in your hands must release the weight of her current situation.

How disheartening it was to see all her hopes and dreams seemingly floating away before her eyes.

But just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, her phone buzzed with a text message. To make matters worse, it was from your landlord, demanding overdue rent or eviction within a week. That message felt like a cruel blow, adding salt to an already extremely bad wound.

Lilian's tears turned into sobs as she felt the weight of her world crashing down around her. At that moment, she couldn't help but question how she had ended up in this desperate situation.

She thought of reaching out to her dad who she hadn't spoken to in over a year.

As the sun cast its warm rays upon her, Lilian took a deep breath and made a silent vow to herself. She would find a way to rise above the challenges, to rebuild her life from the ground up.