Chapter 14. Bad Day

Ava

The alarm on my phone went off at six-thirty, same as every morning, that stupid chirpy bird sound I downloaded freshman year because I thought it was cute.

Now it just makes me want to hurl the thing across the room. I slapped it silent and lay there staring at the ceiling, fairy lights still on from last night, twinkling like they were in on the joke.

My mouth tasted like blood and I slept. I dragged myself up, feet hitting the cold hardwood, and shuffled to the bathroom before anyone else stirred.

Door locked. Toothbrush in hand. I scrubbed hard, like I could scrub the smell of him out of the air that clung to my skin even though I’d showered twice after burning those sheets in the fire pit out back.

Mom thought I was being dramatic about a “nail polish accident.” Whatever. The smoke had curled up black and thick, and I’d poked at it with a stick until the pink fabric turned to ash. Still felt like he was watching from the kitchen window.<