d fell in a sharp, uneven rhythm. The logical processors in his brain, usuall

or a protocol on how to handle cryi

he door yet. She kept her chin tucked down, letti

ouder than the hum of the air conditioning.

wipe loosened slightly. His eyes na

her breathing. "I was so anxious about messing up today, about not being efficient enoug

esperate,

4 logical fallacies. Probability of targe

nds, dropping the ruined wipe onto the table. The deep crease between his ey

voice stiff, testing the words as if they were a forei

her lashes. She made sure she looked small, ove

omed. It felt like a physical constriction around his ribs. He immediately categorized

He adjusted his cuffs, making sure they were perfectly even

rting to that of a doctor delivering a diagnosis, "a heightened stress response due to

f her lungs in a long, shaky sigh. The

ased. Anomaly detected, ACE chim

schedule back toward him. He drew a single, perfectly straight

nding. "You will immediately recalibrate your focus. You will utilize the

ule. Her muscles ached with the desire to ru

to solidify the lie, she added softly,

ngering redness around her eyes, hit Harris

top open with far more force than necessary. The plastic hinges groaned in prote

ly sounds were the aggressive clacking of Harrison's

heory. The black text began to blur and swim on the whit

wn, keeping her mouth shut, but her

lance

on her, staring right over the

ghter, uncapped it, and leaned over the textbook, pre

slowly drew a crude, lopsided t

slightly before she caught herself. He didn't say a word. He just kept watching

arrison closed his laptop. The sharp c

ive is complete

shoved the heavy books back into her tote bag, desp

r her shoulder and tu

tum

. It was cold, but there was a heavy wei

was standing perfectly sti

anded. "And ensure you bring t

ed out a tight "Okay," shoved the glass door op