Mira wouldn't meet her eyes. Her face was crumpled, her lips pressed together, and her shoulders were hunched. She looked like she wanted to disappear.
Bella's heart fell. It wasn't a mistake. Mira had done this.
The room felt suddenly small. The air was thick and heavy, hard to breathe. The chatter of other students faded into a distant hum, and the bright lights seemed to dim. Bella's hands went cold.
She was drowning. That was the only way to describe it, like water closing over her head, pressing against her chest, filling her lungs. She couldn't feel her fingers or her face. Sound became muffled and distant, like she was hearing everything from underwater.
Karl stood up, his chair scraping against the floor loud in the silence. "Professor, this is wrong—"
"I said no wasting time." The professor's voice was sharp. "You can sort this out after. Present now."
