Suddenly, a ray of sunlight burst through the theater doors, catching everyone’s eye. They all turned to see who it was, and a stunning figure emerged in the light.

The crowd was stunned. Sophia had arrived.

Bianca breathed a sigh of relief and eased her grip.

Zoey was surprised, biting her lip as she watched Sophia enter.

But as Sophia stepped closer to the stage and the audience got a good look at her, their expressions turned to disdain.

Sophia stood there, covered in dust, her clothes torn and frayed at the edges of her skirt, her hair a mess, and a dark bruise on her forehead. She looked quite...