The afternoon sun was unyielding, slicing through the gaps in the dorm curtains and highlighting the dust motes dancing in the stagnant air. Bella groaned, her head feeling like it had been stuffed with cotton. She had checked the clock—1:00 PM. The silence in the room was a heavy blanket; Molly was clearly long gone, likely suffering through a lecture or hiding in the library.
Bella dragged herself out of bed, her limbs feeling heavy. She didn't have the energy for a real meal, so she shuffled to the small kitchenette. As she passed the full-length mirror propped against the wall, she caught a glimpse of the disaster staring back. Her hair was a tangled nest of brunette waves, sticking out at odd angles from a night of restless tossing and turning. She was wearing an oversized, faded gra
