Chapter 6

• I could barely recall how I made it through the day. A dense fog of anxiety clung to my skin, coiling tighter with every intrusive thought. My mind was generous crafting scenarios straight out of a psychological thriller.
• There I was, splashed across the front of a tabloid. Sure, my face was distorted enough to blur recognition, and technically, my name wasn’t out there yet. But what if someone pieced it together?
• “Why would anyone give a damn about someone like me?” I scoffed, my laughter brittle as I tried to joke the panic away. It didn’t help. The unease sat heavy on my chest, refusing to budge. Even nightfall offered no mercy. I tossed and turned in bed, restlessly battling my own thoughts, until sleep finally pulled me under.