Later that day.
"Miss Phoebe, are you okay?" one of her students asked with concern.
Phoebe forced a small smile, rubbing her eyes. She was surprised to find tear stains at the corners. "I've just been staring too long..." she explained.
"Why are you wearing a disposable mask? Are you coming down with something?"
Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, I don't want to pass it on to you all..."
After reviewing her students' artwork, Phoebe headed straight to the studio's break room.
She removed the disposable mask in front of the mirror, staring at the red, swollen mark on her cheek. A sense of helplessness washed over her. Her parents had never laid a hand on her, not even once.
Yet he had slapped her twice today—each slap harder than the last. Gently touching the burning area on her cheek, she fel
