I roll my eyes to stop the tears from falling. “Christ, give it up, Ley.” The class takes a collective breath and holds it. “I watched your storyboard. Eggbért leaves his egg friend behind and travels to a big farm that looks like New York City. Tries to settle into a chicken coop and watches as all the baby chicks hatch from the other eggs, just to be told he’s never going to be anything more than a yolk. And it ends with him as a smiling omelet on the farmer’s breakfast table, as if he’s resigned to his fate. I get it. It’s just … What is it even saying? I’m sorry, Professor McPherson, but we’ve been storyboarding and critiquing those boards for like three weeks now, and I just don’t see any movement in terms of character development. Eggbért has these big dreams and then just returns to where he was at the start. There’s zero growth.”

I look around as I word vomit. My chest flutters as I struggle not to appear angry. “Also, Professor, you know that I’m the first to start the critique circle, and I stay quiet when it’s my turn in the hot seat, but I just don’t see the point of offering feedback when it’s clearly not being taken.”

My hands tremble as I glance at the clock on the wall above Leila’s head. Class ended mid-rant, but nobody is moving. Or breathing. Neither am I, so I make the first move, shoving my shit into my bag and slinging it onto my shoulder as I barrel past Leila—who is frozen in place—and out of the classroom, letting the door slam behind me.

I don’t stop until I reach the academic quad.

The hot midafternoon sun beats on my face as a cool Finger Lakes breeze whips past.

My chest is so tight.

My body crumples until my hands are on my knees.

I can’t believe I did that. I eviscerated Leila in front of the entire class. She didn’t deserve that, even if it’s a taste of what she’s done to me.

My phone vibrates as texts pour in. First from Rae:

RAE: Uh. Random, but got a message from Leila. Did you really do that?

Then Chloe and Sofía in our group chat:

CHLOE: Prof McPherson just called. WTF did you do boo?

SOFÍA: What Chloe means is, are you ok?

CHLOE: That too

CHLOE: (ngl, Leila is mad annoying)

CHLOE: BUT. You cant just pop off like that in class.

SOFÍA: What Chloe means is, we’re here if you need to talk

CHLOE: