The morning air in the dorm was thick, heavy in a way that had nothing to do with the hairdryers buzzing or the scent of hairspray fogging up the mirrors. It was a different kind of weight, one pressing down on Rika's chest until her breaths came shallow, shaky, too fast. She sat at the vanity with her makeup pouch clutched in trembling hands, foundation brush poised above her cheek as though pretending to focus on eyeliner would make her invisible.
It didn't.
Not when she entered the room.
"Morning, kittens."
Daika's voice slithered through the dorm like silk dipped in smoke. Heads turned instinctively, though most of the other trainees were too caught up in their own pre-performance routines to pay her much attention. But for Rika, the sound was a direct hit, her body stiffening before her brain even caught up.
She risked a glance in the mirror. Big mistake.
