The drive to work was uneventful, the familiar roads blurring past as Lara turned up the radio, letting the music fill the silence. But no matter how loud the music played, the empty feeling in her chest remained.
By the time she arrived at school, she forced all lingering thoughts aside, putting on her best smile. Her students didn’t deserve her exhaustion or her personal troubles.
They were the only ones who ever made her feel like she truly mattered.
Throughout the morning, she busied herself with lessons and activities, immersing herself in the lively energy of her students. Their laughter filled the classroom, their excitement contagious.
And for a little while, it was easier to forget.
By lunchtime, she was in the faculty room, eating quietly at her desk when her phone vibrated.
