I woke up to the sound of footsteps and hushed voices outside my room. My body felt heavy, my head pounding like a drum.
I blinked up at the ceiling, my breathing still uneven from the nightmare.
It was morning.
The day of the party.
I groaned, pushing myself up. The moment I moved, my muscles screamed in protest. I felt like I hadn’t slept at all.
I dragged myself to the bathroom, splashed cold water on my face, and stared at my reflection.
Dark circles.
Dull eyes.
I looked terrible.
Great. Just what I needed before facing hundreds of judgmental strangers.
I sighed and stepped out of my room, nearly running into Chloe.
She took one look at me and wrinkled her nose. "Wow. You look like you lost a fight with a ghost."
"Thanks," I muttered, rubbing my forehead.
Mum appeared behi
