The days that followed were a mixture of small victories and painful setbacks. Alessia had begun attending therapy, focusing on managing her anxiety, and gradually—very gradually—reintroducing herself to the world. She ventured out for short walks, joined her family for meals, and even visited the grocery store with Giovanni one afternoon. Each experience felt like a battle, but she was reclaiming a little more of herself with every step.

Still, there were days when the weight of everything would come crashing down on her. The fear, uncertainty, and sheer exhaustion from trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy were often too much to bear. The worst part was the isolation she still felt, even with her family by her side. None of them truly understood the constant battle raging inside her. No one could feel the anxiety that gripped her whenever she stepped outside her home, or the overwhelming panic when she sensed the onset of a seizure.

Alessia had tried to confide in Giovanni, but he always seemed to reassure her with words that, no matter how well-meaning, didn't quite reach her. "It's okay, Alessia. You'll get through this," he'd say. And while she appreciated his effort, a part of her knew he could never truly understand the depth of her fear.

It was a sunny afternoon when things changed. Alessia had decided, after much deliberation, to take a walk on her own. Giovanni had gone out with her brothers to take care of some business, and Alessia had insisted that she was fine. She needed to prove it to herself. She had to.

The walk started out fine—slow, steady, taking in the scenery around her. She breathed in the fresh air, trying to calm the thoughts racing through her mind. But as she walked deeper into the neighbourhood, she felt the unmistakable sense of panic creeping in. Her chest tightened, her breathing became shallow, and her vision blurred. Not now, she thought desperately, trying to keep her footing as the world around her began to spin. She felt the familiar tremor in her hands, her body already beginning to betray her.

Alessia stumbled, her heart pounding in her chest. She tried to steady herself against a nearby lamppost, but the dizziness overcame her, and she collapsed to the ground, her body convulsing as the seizure took hold.

Everything went black.

When Alessia awoke, she found herself back in her room, Giovanni sitting beside her with a worried expression. Her head throbbed, and she felt the remnants of the seizure—dizziness, weakness, and a deep exhaustion that seemed to seep into her bones. She had lost control again.

"I... I thought I could do it," Alessia whispered, her voice breaking. "I thought I could just be normal again."

Giovanni's hand brushed her hair back from her forehead. "It's okay," he murmured, his voice gentle but filled with concern. "You're okay. You just need to take things slow. We'll get through this together."

Alessia closed her eyes, overwhelmed by a wave of emotion. She didn't want to keep relying on Giovanni. She didn't want to keep feeling this way. But every time she thought she was strong enough to push through, her body reminded her of her limitations.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, her voice filled with shame. "I just keep failing."

"You're not failing," Giovanni reassured her, his voice firm with conviction. "You're still fighting. Every day, you're fighting."

But the words didn't make the sting of failure go away. Alessia had tried to be brave, to be the person everyone expected her to be. But now, the fear was too much, and the seizures had taken away the one thing she valued most—her independence.

"Why can't I just be normal again?" she whispered, tears filling her eyes.

Giovanni held her hand, his voice soft as he spoke. "Alessia, you are still you. You're still the same person who used to light up the room with your smile. The same person who could take on the world. You've just been through something incredibly hard, and it's going to take time to heal. But you're not alone. I'm here. We're all here for you."

But Alessia wasn't sure she believed him. How could she be the same person when her life turned upside down? How could she be the person she was before when every step forward felt like it was met with two steps back?