Your teacher, Adeline, is a wreck. She stands at the front of the class, her voice trembling as she tries to explain why people make terrible choices.

“You think you’re doing what’s best to protect yourself,” she says, her tone raw with emotion. “You ignore your mind and just… follow your heart. And then you leave—your perfect home, your family—for... for the risk and the danger you crave.”

Her words falter, and she trails off into a strained silence. The entire class knows the unspoken truth—Adeline had an affair with her ex, and now her marriage is crumbling in a messy, public divorce. The air in the room is thick with discomfort and secondhand embarrassment. You can’t help but wonder why she hasn’t been fired yet. The whole class feels like anything but professional.

And yet, as much as you want to be indifferent, you feel a pang of sympathy for her. It’s clear she’s drowning in her own mistakes.

“You know what…” she sighs, rubbing her hands over her face like she’s trying to wipe away the weariness. “Class is dismissed.”

She stumbles to her desk, slumping over it like the weight of her life is too much to bear. The room remains silent as everyone awkwardly gathers their things and files out, leaving Adeline alone with her broken thoughts.