Virr... virr...
I fumbled for my phone, silencing the alarm with one sluggish swipe. The sunlight pierced through my eyelids like needles.
Ugh. Leaving the curtains open last night was a mistake.
6:00 a.m.
Another day, exactly like the last. Wake up. Wash up. Do my makeup. Choke down a cup of instant coffee. Repeat.
A knock echoed through the hallway.
"Miss Brown, are you ready yet?" my driver called in his usual flat tone.
"Yeah… I'm coming," I mumbled, grabbing my bag and phone.
The house was still. Too still. The cold emptiness pressed against me, like it was trying to crawl into my skin. No voices. No movement. Just silence—loud and suffocating.
The moment I stepped onto campus, I slipped on my mask. Smile. Wave. Greet. Repeat.
Like a ritual—expected, exhausting, and impossible to skip.
"Hey! How was—"
Before I could finish, she turned and walked away.
What?
I stood frozen for a second, blinking. That was weird. She definitely saw me.
Wow. What an arrogant bitch.
I tried to laugh it off, but a cold knot had started forming in my chest.
Once.
Then twice.
Then again.
Something was off.
People were avoiding my eyes, dodging my hellos, whispering just loud enough for me to know it was about me. I could feel it. The weight of their glances. The silence louder than words.
What the hell is going on?
I walked faster, nearly breaking into a jog.
Mia. I have to ask Mia.
She'd know. She always knew.