Aria sat on the edge of her bed with the blanket pulled up to her chin. The lamp beside her bed burned low, casting soft shadows across the room. Cassidy sat beside her, her hand resting gently on Aria's back, rubbing slow, comforting circles.
Aria stared down at the floor, her voice barely rising above a whisper when she finally spoke. "I'm ready."
Cassidy's hand stopped moving. She looked at her daughter carefully, studying her face. "Ready for what, love?"
Aria took a shaky breath before answering. "To face it. The shadow. In the mirror."
Cassidy felt her heart squeeze painfully in her chest. She kept her voice soft and gentle. "You don't have to do this now, sweetheart. We can wait longer."
But Aria shook her head firmly. "I do have to do this. If I don't face it now, it'll just keep getting louder and louder in my head. It'll keep taking little pieces of me until there's nothing left."
