14. History of the Awaziems and Okos

CHINYERE WOKE UP early the next morning. Earlier than she usually would.

The first thing she did was say her morning prayer before sitting up on the bed.

The bottle she used as an ice pack was lying on the floor and the ice had melted, leaving a pool of water on the floor.

She grabbed a black pencil skirt from the closet with a red blouse and undergarments then made her way to the bathroom in the bedroom.

She looked at her face in the mirror.

The stinging in her cheek had stopped but the slap had left a bruise on her face. The blood on her lip had dried up and Chinyere couldn't help but think of how ugly she looked.

She just wanted to be a model, and look where she had ended up.

She wanted to cry but she had no tears left to cry.

She brushed her teeth, all the while thinking of the conversation she was going to have with Tina. She would finally kn