Lucy woke up before her alarm even went off. Her heart was thudding against her ribs, and her palms felt damp. She sat up and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Today was the day. All the weeks of research, the meetings in the library, led to this morning.
"You're up early," Zoe said, her voice muffled by her pillow. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, her hair was a mess.
"I can't stop thinking about the presentation," Lucy admitted. She got out of bed and started gathering her clothes. "I feel like I'm going to forget every word I wrote."
"You’ll be fine," Zoe said, stretching. "It’s just a grade, Lucy. Besides, everyone will be too busy looking at you to care what you're saying about old paintings."
Lucy didn't find that comforting. She dressed in a simple black blazer and tr
