Chapter 7

I was jolted awake by the persistent ring of a song on my phone.

But if you close your eyes,

Does it almost feel like nothing has changed at all,

And if you close your eyes,

Does it almost feel like you've been here before,

How am I going to be an optimist about this,

Now Ho-

Quickly, I reached out, silencing the alarm. Rubbing my eyes, I glanced at the time. With half an hour until four o'clock, I decided it was high time to get ready. The advice of my parents echoed in my head: no more hiding behind baggy clothes, it's time to be myself.

I swung my legs over the bed, padding into the adjoining bathroom. The lavish space, with its tub, a shower, and an expansive mirror, was a sight to behold. Hastily, I brushed my teeth and rinsed my face to remove the vestiges of yesterday's makeup. I returned to the bedroom and settled at the dressing table.

A few strokes of the brush pulled my hair back into a tidy bun, with a few strands left loose