Professor McPherson perches atop her desk, unwrapping a Twix from a bag she sent around the room. “Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Have a free sugar rush.”

Everyone is already packing up, and I glance around the room. We all look smacked, a huddled mass of dark circles and slumped shoulders—all of us except for Leila, who is conspicuously absent and has been for the past week.

“Remember,” the professor continues. “When classes resume next Monday, you’ll have two weeks until the final showcase. Invitations are going out to all your parents, but for those whose families live far, it will be broadcasted live on CIA’s website. I’ll email you all with the information. Most of you are in great shape, but everyone still has much to do to finalize their shorts, so make sure you utilize your breaks well.”

“Hear that?” Chloe asks. “That means you.” She winks.

“I’m not going home,” I say.

I don’t need to tell them about how I don’t want to be obligated to see Dad because I’m not ready to tell him how I feel yet. There are still so many feelings I have to work out. Every time I practice what I might say to him, I end up screaming incoherently at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, and Benny has to make sure I’m okay. I can’t seem to untangle the mess Dad’s made. Plus, Thanksgiving is a horrible holiday for someone suffering from an eating disorder and weight shame.

“So I’ll be here, working my ass off to figure out the end of this short. By this time next week, once I get your approvals, of course, we’ll be in the home stretch.”

I hope.

Sofía drums her fingers together. “Interesting.” She narrows her eyes. “Chlo and I will also be sticking around. I believe that means we have to hang.”

“Why aren’t y’all going home?” I ask.

“My family and I boycott the colonizer holiday,” Sofía explains. “We usually visit family in Colombia, but I have way too much work to do. This semester is killing me softly.”

“I’m trying to save money so that when we’re studying abroad in Los Angeles next semester, we’re not living solely off ramen,” Chloe says, looking to Sofía.

“That too,” Sofía adds. “So we might as well be alone together because this place is a literal ghost town over breaks.”

“Buuuuut,” Chloe interjects. “The cool thing is that Aguyack Mountain opens this week to kick off the annual ski season, and CIA always organizes a bus for students who stay on campus to go enjoy the first, usually manmade, snow.”

“You ski?” I ask.