Prologue
From the first day she stepped foot into Riverside High, Aiysha learned to wear a mask to cloak her true self in layers of pretense and perfection. Her popularity became her armor, shielding her from prying eyes and judgmental whispers. But that same armor turned into a cage, locking her inside a version of herself she barely recognized.
Behind every sharp word and flawless outfit was a girl who just wanted to breathe. Aiysha had mastered the art of pretending pretending to be confident, pretending to be in control, pretending that the world she built around her didn't feel like it was cracking piece by piece.
At Riverside, appearances were everything.
And Aiysha?
She was the girl everyone wanted to be — and the one who didn't even want to be herself.
