AMARA'S POV
The next morning, my body felt heavy like lead. I dragged myself out of bed, my eyes swollen and puffy, my head pounding from a night of no sleep. I stared at my reflection in the mirror..skin pale, lips dry, hair tangled. I looked… dead.
I pulled on a pair of baggy pants and a hoodie, letting my hair fall loose down my shoulders. I dabbed foundation under my eyes, brushed some powder on my cheeks, and added a little lip gloss. Nothing too much. Just enough to cover the emptiness in my face.
When I stepped back from the mirror, I almost flinched.
This was the old me. The simple, quiet Amara. The Amara everyone at school used to laugh at, the girl they pushed around, the one who never spoke up for herself.
I sighed, lowering my gaze. Maybe that was who I truly was, no matte
