Rejoice, with Mama Ruth’s encouragement, began attending the local school. It was a small building with peeling paint and desks that wobbled, but to Rejoice, it felt like a palace of possibilities. Despite the initial stares and whispers about her scars, the classroom became her sanctuary. Her teachers quickly noticed her aptitude for mathematics and science, and for the first time, she felt seen for her mind rather than her scars.

“Rejoice, you have a gift,” her math teacher often told her, echoing Mrs. Grace’s words from years before. “Your future is bright. Remember that.”

As the seasons turned, Rejoice found solace in books. She devoured every story she could, finding friends in characters who, like her, faced trials and emerged victorious. Her favorite was a tale of a young girl who, despite all odds, became a powerful healer. Rejoice saw herself in those pages, and with each chapter, her resolve deepened.