CHAPTER 9: Snapped Ribbons
Elodie's POV
The alarm on my phone buzzed against the wooden nightstand at exactly five in the morning.
I didn't groan or roll over to hide under the warm blankets. I just reached out into the freezing, dark room and swiped the screen to kill the noise.
My entire body felt like it had been thrown down a flight of stairs. My calves burned, my lower back ached and my joints popped as I forced myself to sit up on the edge of the mattress.
I tiptoed into the small bathroom, shivering as my feet hit the cold tile and flicked on the harsh overhead light.
I sat on the edge of the bathtub and pulled my right foot onto my left knee. With careful movements, I started peeling off the layers of sticky athletic tape from yesterday’s punishing rehearsals.
I winced. My
