tears. She lay still for a moment, tangled in her sheets, surrounded by crumpled tissues and the heavy silence of the room

ilent after Michael last message-an empty apology she hadn't bothered to rea

t was the kind of morning where everything felt off, as if the worl

hadn't dulled the pain, and now it just felt pathetic. The whole rom-com and ice cream routine was a cliché, one she'd fallen right int

ying in this bed wasn'

The cold air hit her skin as she stood, making her shiver, but she pushed herself toward t

all space. As the sound of rushing water filled the air, she stripped off her wrinkled pajamas, catch

emnants of last night. As the water hit her skin, she felt a slight release-just enough to r

s, breathing deeply as the warmth enveloped her. For the first time since the bre

d herself to look. Her reflection stared back at her, and for a moment, she felt like a stranger. Her skin looked pale, her hair limp and unruly. The

nting to, her though

ac

oth skin and that effortless, glowing confidence that always made people gravitate toward her. Sta

ir, but she couldn't help it. Stacey looked like she had everything figured out, while H

beauty. She didn't have that same polished perfection, the kind that made men chase after you and never look ba

mirror, and she looked herself strai

er know. Maybe it wasn't about her at all, maybe it was just him. Or m

t threatened to consume her. Comparing herself to Stacey wouldn't change a

thing: she could choose

had when she woke up. She wasn't sure what her next move would be, but she knew she wa

ht. One step closer to figuri