MARIA POV
When I woke up the next morning, Saturday sunlight filtered through the blinds, cutting across my room like blades. My head throbbed, and my entire body felt heavy, like I was dragging a mountain behind me. I rubbed my eyes, feeling the sting of dried tears, and groaned as I sat up in bed.
Still in the same black dress from last night, I caught my reflection in the mirror across the room. I looked like a complete mess. My hair was a tangled disaster, and my face—oh God, my face. I shuffled over to the mirror, staring at the horror before me. My mascara had smeared in thick, dark lines under my eyes, giving me the look of a sad, exhausted panda. Or a zombie who’d just crawled out of the grave. Either one worked.
I dragged a hand down my face, smudging the makeup even more. Fant
