chapter 55

Barbie lay in her bed, her phone dimming in her hand, casting the only flickering light in her otherwise darkened room. The soft patter of rain against the windowpane grew louder as the storm outside raged, droplets racing each other down the glass. She rolled over and glanced out the window, her eyes following the raindrops as her mind wandered.

Her stomach clenched as the familiar memory replayed itself once more. It was at that awful dinner when Mark's mother, with her perfectly poised smile, casually announced *his* engagement to Rose. Rose, of all people—the one girl she couldn't stand. Barbie's frown deepened, her fingers tightening around her phone.

She sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, frustration bubbling inside her chest. She began pacing the room, her bare feet padding across the floor as her thoughts churned, growing more venomous with every step.