Chapter One

Mika Ellis is nineteen, overworked, emotionally fluent, and constantly pretending she's got everything under control
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Between chaotic group chats, endless side gigs, and a best friend who doubles as a part-time therapist, she's mastered the art of showing up.

But when old friendships shift, new tension simmers, and someone she's known for years starts to see her a little too clearly-Mika starts to realize the performance might be costing her more than it's protecting.

A coming-of-age story about the masks we wear, the people who get close anyway, and the terrifying beauty of finally being seen.