XENIA
I studied all night long. That’s how determined I was to win.
“You look like a winner, darling,” my mom’s cheery voice carried through the room as she appeared behind me in the mirror.
I beamed, adjusting my blazer for the hundredth time as I prepared for war. Because that’s what the last day of the competition promised to be, a bloody war zone. And I planned to emerge victorious, as usual.
Academic warfare was my strong suit anyways. No one could possibly beat me at it.
“Just what I thought when I first looked in the mirror,” I smiled brightly, wondering how my eyes were glinting even though I hadn’t slept a blink all night.
“Well, I know you’re going to bag the trophy, and I can’t possibly tell you how truly proud I am without bawling and ruining my makeup,” she hugged me, sq
