The seemingly endless steps to DWMA was usually something Maka liked to run on and hop like there was no tomorrow at the start of every day, greeting people as she did and motivating them to the last step...

That Maka, to say the least, does not exist anymore.

Tsubaki and Black Star were by Maka's side as they helped up her the steps, panting for breath until she collapsed on Tsubaki's side with Black Star trying to keep her steady.

"M-Maka!" Tsubaki worried. "This is not good. Are you sure you're able to attend today? I think it's best you just stay with the nurse today. I'd take you back home but I don't want you to go through those steps again."

"Maka, you look more pale than usual and that says a lot," Black Star chided in but looked away when Tsubaki shot him an angry look.

"I'm fine... thank you," was all Maka managed to say.

Patting Black Star's hand that was on her wrist, she eased into the crowd entering the school, with somber eyes and looser pigtails. She stopped for a moment in the hallway and imagined Soul surprising her with an embrace and helping her back to class. Reality sucked and so did moments of wishful thinking like that too. Without anyone's knowledge, she ditched her class and ended up skipping to the library, making herself tinier to avoid being seen by the librarian at the front desk, heading to a small, round table where she removed her jacket and set it on the table, fluffing it up. As bad as she wanted to lie her head on it, she just sat slumped in her chair, staring at her jacket into the void.