章 213: Surprise

The alarm buzzed relentlessly, pulling me from a restless sleep. I groaned, reaching out to silence it, wishing I could bury myself back under the covers. It had been a grueling week, balancing modeling school and actual modeling jobs, and my body was starting to feel the strain.

I dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom, staring at my reflection with a mixture of exhaustion and determination. My dark, curly hair was a tangled mess, and the dark circles under my eyes were a stark reminder of my sleepless nights. I splashed cold water on my face, hoping it would wake me up.

The morning routine was almost automatic now. I brushed my teeth, untangled my hair, and carefully styled it into loose waves. A bit of foundation to hide the tiredness, a swipe of mascara, and a touch of lip gloss. I needed to look presentable, even if I felt far from it.