ALESSA'S POV

I had promised. Monday, I said. I’ll start work on Monday.

Well… Monday came.

Despite the nervous excitement fluttering in my chest, a strange hollowness clung to me. I wasn’t ready.

Not really. Not mentally. Not emotionally.

The idea of walking into a place like Plin, sleek, professional, full of people who probably knew exactly what they were doing, made my palms sweat.

That night, my brain ran marathons.

Every choice I ever made, every awkward moment, every fear ...