Bella
Lara came up behind me, tall and slim in her jeans and hoodie, resting her chin lightly on my shoulder. Her breath brushed my ear, making it twitch, my shoulder lifting instinctively at the tickle.
“So,” she whispered, voice low and teasing, “what do you think?”
I swallowed, still staring at myself. “I look… different?”
She shook her head slowly, eyes meeting mine in the mirror. “No, Bella. This isn’t different. This is you. The real you. The one you’ve been keeping under wraps because the world made you feel like you had to.”
My heart gave a hard thud. She was right. This wasn’t a costume. It was armor, and a weapon.
“You ready to walk out that door?” she asked, stepping back but keeping her hands on my shoulders.
My pulse spiked so fast I felt dizzy. I turned to face her, th
