Alia stands before me in splendor, gleaming with what I can only describe as a victor’s light. She smiles so brightly that even under the ample lighting of the mall, she somehow manages to stand out. But it’s not a friendly smile. She twirls before me in...
I’m in hell. I’m walking through Alia’s front door, and I’m in hell. And not in one of the nice circles, oh no. This entire evening has been a gradual, but unstoppable descent into my worst nightmares. I’m wobbly on my feet. My heels – which I hate wearin...
“How do I look?” Alia twirls in a deep green dress before me, giggling for all the world like we haven’t spent most of the afternoon trudging through the mall. Still, I’m a good sport, so I give her a smile. “Very pretty, Alia.” God, I feel like I’m in th...
I. Vicious State of Mind “Caution, approaching platform.” The announcement drowns out the clipped whispers, but the furtive eyeballing remains. Some knew me immediately. The celebrity-like recognition flashed like fat paparazzi Nikons as they traced the f...
