Lily could not stop thinking about the girl at the store

It stayed with her the rest of the day like a song that would not leave. The way the girl stood behind the counter. The way her smile looked careful at first then real. The way her hand rested near the stack of flyers like it wanted to move but did not dare. Lily knew that feeling too well. That stillness that is not peace. That waiting that feels like drowning

By early afternoon Lily was back in her apartment, but her mind was still there under those fluorescent lights. Maya was stretched on the couch scrolling her phone. She looked up and said You are pacing holes in the floor. What is going on

Lily stopped moving. I went back to the store

Maya sat up fast. You went back. Like back back

Yes

And

There is a new girl working there, Lily said. She is young. She looks like I used to look. Tired but still trying to be polite. And there is a flyer on the counter. The same kind of flyer

Maya stared at her. You saw yourself

Lily shook her head. No. I saw someone who might not leave unless somebody tells her she is allowed to

Maya leaned forward. So tell her

Lily let out a slow breath. I tried a little. But I did not say enough. I should have said more

Then say more, Maya said. Go back

It is not that easy, Lily said softly. You cannot force people to move. You can only leave the door open and hope they walk

Maya smiled a little. Sounds like something in a movie

Lily laughed once. Maybe. But it is true

She went quiet for a moment

Then she said I think I want to do something different

Maya tilted her head. Different how

Not modeling for a brand, Lily said. Not because someone told me to show up. I want to build something. Something that is mine. Something for girls like her

Maya blinked. Are we talking like a company. Like a class. Like a speech. Like a YouTube channel. Please do not tell me you want to become a motivational speaker because I am not emotionally ready for that

Lily smiled. I do not know yet. I only know how it felt when no one saw me. And I do not want someone else to feel like that forever

That night Lily could not sleep. She lay awake listening to the familiar low sounds of the building the elevator wires humming every time someone came home late the quiet footsteps in the hallway the soft clink of pipes in the walls. She turned onto her side and stared at the photo taped to her wall. Jonah’s photo. Hair loose. Eyes steady. Real

You are not just a face Marcus had told her

Control it

Her eyes drifted to her notebook on the nightstand. She reached for it in the dark and opened it to a blank page. She wrote

How do I help someone who is where I used to be

Her pen hovered

Then she wrote

Maybe I start by telling the truth

The next afternoon she went back to the convenience store

She did not even pretend she was there to buy something this time. The bell did its sticky half ring. The girl behind the counter looked up and smiled again. Hey. You came back

Yeah, Lily said. I wanted to ask your name

The girl hesitated like no one had asked that in a while. Jess, she said. You

Lily

Jess’s eyes flickered. Wait. Are you. She looked closer. Her mouth opened a little. You are the girl on that ad on the bus stop near the freeway right. With the jacket and the light thing

Lily let out a soft laugh. Maybe. That might be me

Jess sucked in a breath like she had just seen a meteor. Oh my god. I told my cousin that was you and she said I was making it up. She said nobody from here does stuff like that

Lily felt something pull in her chest. She leaned on the counter the way she used to do during slow hours. Can I tell you something, she said

Jess nodded fast

I did not come from any special place. I did not know anyone. I just showed up where I was not sure I belonged

Jess swallowed. Were you scared

Every second

Then how did you do it

Lily went quiet for a moment. The hum of the refrigerators filled the pause. She could hear the soft rattle of glass bottles settling inside the cooler. She remembered every night she had stood in this same air thinking tomorrow will be the same unless I move

Finally she said I decided I did not want to wait for my life to start anymore

Jess stared at her like those words were made of gold. Then she whispered I want to leave too

Lily nodded. The flyer is real. You can go. You do not have to be perfect when you walk in. You just have to walk in

Jess looked scared and excited at the same time. Like the feeling you get at the top of a tall ride before it drops

Do you think I have a chance, she asked

Yes, Lily said. Mean it. Yes

Jess let out a breath she had been holding. Then she laughed, and the laugh sounded almost like relief

The door opened and a man came in to buy cigarettes. Jess rang him up with quick hands. When he left Jess leaned closer again and whispered If I go to that audition and they laugh at me I am blaming you

Lily smiled. That is fair

Jess grinned. You are serious. You really think I should go

Lily nodded. I think you should go once. After that, you get to choose for yourself. But you deserve one try

Jess bit her lip and nodded like she was memorizing a promise. Okay. I will go

Lily felt something warm spread in her chest. She had not felt that same heat since the first time she stepped in front of a camera and heard someone say That is the one

As Lily turned to leave, Jess called out Wait

Lily looked back

If I go and it works out can I tell people you told me to try

Lily smiled. Tell them you told yourself

Jess went quiet at that and Lily saw the moment land inside her like a seed

Outside, the afternoon sun hit the sidewalk hard and bright. The air shimmered above the asphalt. Lily stood for a moment just breathing. She felt steady. Grounded

On the walk home she felt something she had not expected

Purpose

Not the kind tied to money or credit or getting booked for the next job. Not the way brands used the word inspiration. Something simpler, closer

This is not just about me now

When she got home Maya was at the table with a bowl of grapes and a stack of unpaid mail. You look lighter, Maya said without looking up

Lily dropped into the chair across from her. I think I know what I want to do

Okay, said Maya. I am ready. Tell me

I want to build something for girls like Jess. Not an agency. Agencies already exist. I want something that explains the first step. The part no one explains. The part before the first photo. The part where you are still behind the counter and you think you are not allowed

Maya blinked. A guide

Not just a guide, Lily said. A space. Somewhere they can ask things without feeling stupid. Somewhere they hear the truth. Not lies. Not You are perfect queen. Real truth. Like It will be hard. People will tell you no. You will feel alone. You will want to quit. But you deserve one real chance

Maya leaned back slow. Her face softened. That is good, she said. That is real good. That is not about fame. That is about you taking care of the person you used to be

Lily nodded

Her pulse felt calm and bright all at once

She pulled her notebook closer and flipped to a clean page. At the top she wrote

FIRST LIGHT

Maya leaned over. First Light

Lily traced the words with her thumb. The first time you see yourself like maybe you could be more. The first time you realize you are allowed to want it. That moment. That spark. First light

Maya smiled. That sounds like a program

Lily laughed. It sounds like a start

That night Lily sat on the floor with her back against the bed and wrote for almost an hour without stopping. She wrote everything she wished someone had told her before she ever walked into that first audition. She wrote about safety. She wrote about warning signs. She wrote about rights. She wrote about contracts. She wrote about standing up for yourself even if your voice shakes. She wrote about keeping a friend on call when you go to a first meeting. She wrote about not letting anyone make you feel like you should be grateful just to be in the room

When her hand finally slowed, she realized her eyes were warm and shining

It felt like something was being built

It did not feel like running anymore

It felt like staying and making space

Before she went to sleep she whispered into the quiet room

She is going to go

She is going to walk in

And I am going to help her walk without feeling alone