I woke with a jolt at 6:04 p.m., heart racing like I'd been running in my sleep. The apartment was dim - late-afternoon sun already gone, streetlights just flickering on outside the window. My body felt heavy, limbs loose from the long nap, skin still warm under the thin blanket.

Shower first.

Hot water hit my skin like a reset button. I stood under the spray longer than necessary, letting it pound my shoulders, steam filling the tiny bathroom until the mirror fogged completely. I wiped a circle clear and looked at myself - short bob still damp and curling at the ends, cheeks flushed from the heat, eyes dark...