"Ow, easy there!" I wince, shooting Olivia a look through the vanity mirror as she yanks my hair, all in the guise of crafting pigtails.
Just minutes before, Olivia had burst into the room, full of the 'brilliant' idea that we could spend some quality time braiding our hair and catching a movie.
Instantly, I knew what she was up to—another well-intentioned attempt to pull me out of my emotional black hole. Just like Juliet, Alice, and Lucian, she's been on a mission to brighten my days.
What they don't seem to grasp is that their overwhelming kindness feels like suffocation.
Every hug, every over-enthusiastic smile, and every forced joke just serve as sharp reminders of the emotions I should be experiencing but can't summon anymore.
"If you don't sit still, the braid's gonna turn ou
