Chapter 82

I climbed off the bed and padded barefoot into the bathroom, my heart pounding. "Here goes," I murmured to myself. I turned on the shower and shed my clothes, stepping into the warm cascade of water.

After rinsing off, I scrubbed myself vigorously with the little tube the instructions had directed me to use. I stayed under the spray until the water ran clear. I stepped out and dried off, afraid I would hate the result but knowing this was necessary to reclaim my life, to seize control again.

I dressed in clean clothes, then pulled the towel from my hair and faced the mirror. My eyes widened. I scarcely recognized the reflection staring back at me. Gone was the sunken, abused face. Instead, I saw a healthy visage with sparkling eyes—no longer sullen or soulless. Pulling out a seldom-used hair dryer from beneath the sink, I dried my hair as instructed in the tutorial. With my hair fluffed and styled, I turned my head from side to side. Damn. I was pretty. Really pretty.