~Valerie~
The afternoon sun is a mockery. It streams through my bathroom window, bright and cheerful, while I stand shivering in front of the mirror. I lean in close, my breath fogging the glass as I peel back the edge of the silk scarf.
The bruise has deepened. What was a mild, red mark yesterday is now a heavy, plum-colored stain, a violent masterpiece of Ronan’s teeth. It looks like a brand. No amount of concealer is going to hide this, the skin is too tender, the color too wild.
I reach for a black turtleneck. The fabric is thin, but the collar is high enough to scrape against my jaw. I feel like I am choking, but it is the only way to walk out of this house without my mother’s eyes boring a hole through me.
I feel exhausted, yet my nerves are vibrating like a live wire. My brain i
