"Come in," a voice called from inside.
I pushed the door open, and almost collided with a student carrying a heavy stack of papers high enough to hide most of their face.
They muttered a quick "sorry" before slipping past me into the hallway.
"Good morning, Mr. Blake," I said, stepping further inside.
He looked up, squinting at me like my face was somewhere in the back of his mind. "Nice to meet you… hmmm… Ash?"
"Ash Rivera, sir," I clarified, closing the door quietly behind me.
"Right. Ash Rivera." His voice softened. "How's your sister doing? Give her my regards."
"She's okay. Thanks… for the other day." I glanced around the room. It was a small office. Just his desk, a filing cabinet, a pile of folders on the side table, and a coffee mug with a chipped rim. It felt too quiet.
"Oh, it's nothing," he waved it off. "You don't have to come all the way here just to thank me again."
