*FREE WITH PAID BONUS CHAPTER*After being dumped by her boyfriend, Elodie Shepherd resigns herself to loving her older brother's best friend from afar, just like she always has, even though he only sees her as his best friend's immature kid sister.
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My fists were bloody by the time I was finished at Leila's studio and were wrapped in white bandages by the time I placed them on the steering wheel to drive myself back to my dorm.
Taryn wasn't there when I got in, so I was thankful I didn't have to face her after what had happened, two major press scandals occurring within the exact same day.
I didn't know if I had the stomach for classes the next day.
So when the time came for those classes, I stayed in bed.
I didn't get up to eat breakfast or lunch.
I slept until I couldn't sleep anymore, the headache and nausea from oversleeping weighing so heavily on me that my legs refused to move themselves from the bed.
I didn't answer my phone, not for my best friends, my family, or my friends-with-benefits rebound sort-of-boyfriend who was clearly concerned about me.
He only started calling and texting when he'd heard from V and Eli that I hadn't been responding to them.
That was when the knocking on the door began.
Phoebe was begging me to let her in, so I called out to her to leave me alone, just so she'd be able to tell everyone else that at least I was still alive.
"I need a mental health day. I'm not talking to anyone, and I'm not leaving this bed."
She huffed audibly through the door but conceded to my wishes anyway.
I wished she hadn't, but it was definitely a good thing she didn't question me.
It was most definitely not a 'mental health' day.
After four o'clock, however, I got up.
I took a shower.
I washed my hair.
I shaved my legs.
I used that new body scrub I loved.
I used a face mask.
I dried off and put on nail polish.
I used a special cream moisturizer on my skin until I was glowing.
I applied makeup for the first time since the photoshoot/interview.
I artfully applied mascara and bronzer and illuminating powder and shiny lip tint and glittery eye shadow and sprayed myself with a glowing spritz until I was a walking glow advertisement.
I lathered my body in sweet smelling lotion and topped it off with the matching perfume.
I oiled up my legs and my chest until they, too, glowed and were as smooth as a newborn baby's skin.
I indulged in my self care routine until there was nothing left to do with my hands, until I was completely and totally distracted-out.
