chapter forty-five

[ IN WHICH SHE IS BACK TO THE BEGINNING ]

My eyes snap open.

It takes a whole minute for my brain to register the things around me.

For the first few seconds while my brown eyes are opened, everything around me moves fast, and they move by in a blur. It is like I am immobile and stagnant while the world ages in time. Then, suddenly, it begins to slow down. The enthusiastic chatter of people’s voices settle in an irritating murmur, and it feels like I am trapped in a bubble that causes their voices to echo loudly in my ears. The lights blind me, and I feel nausea wash over me like I had just taken a terrible rollercoaster ride.

Then, instantly, everything clicks. And everything is clear.

The joyful chatter of friends and familiar socialites reaches my ears.

My body freezes in the chair.

I am back at the Dinner Gala event. It is like someone had reserved time.

“Sin.” I mutter. Tears blur my vision, ruining my eye makeup. I jolt in my chair, realizing the truly tragic state of my