Broken Chords'

known the day

ssing, turning, and staring at the ceiling while imagining every possible way tomorrow could go wrong. B

ly drifted into a shallow,

t nine. The audit

nding cracked and weak, making my heart jolt. Perfect. Just w

. straight into ice. I yelped so loudly the neighbors probably thought I was being mugged. Appa

attering teeth, scrubbing sham

g and dripping, my nerves were shot

without hiding, yes I repeat, the very one had a massive, glaring stain on the front. Coffee. From yes

tically scrubbing with a wet towel. It only sme

closet. My closet, of course, was ninety percent oversized

t cream blouse I hadn't worn in ages. It would have

i wasn't here now. I poked myself in the eye with mascara. My eyeliner went crooked. I wiped, redid, wiped again. By

y. I ran, skirt swishing, hair

m I counting it right, cause it seems like different di

a

lla. My blouse clung to me, transparent in patches. My hair flattened. People rushed past, um

bus, I looked like I'd b

rambled on board, dropping coins into the slot. My

tapped uncontrollably against the flo

I was late. "You've got this. Breath

ould. They always di

ing, rain dripping into my eyes. My shoes squelched with every step. By the time I stumbled

e registration desk ask

ngsley,"

ut to start." She handed me a sticker with my number-twenty-th

ouncing in her seat. "Finally!" she

admitted, collap

grimaced. "Yikes. Rain re

the pep talk

your voice." She squeezed my hand. "Breathe. Against

e hardest part was still ahe

se had thrown this much chaos at me this morning and I was still here, still breathing,

was my fi

an with a clipboard called

ammed again

was

as t