Chapter 206

• The first morning in Paris began before the city was fully awake. I sat in the small apartment the school had arranged for me, drinking tea that tasted different from the blends I had grown used to at home. The air smelled faintly of bread from the bakery on the corner. I had laid out my notes the night before, but now that the hour had come, they felt both too much and not enough.
• When I arrived at the school, the building felt as imposing as I remembered. High ceilings, tall windows, and hallways where sound carried in a way that always made me feel smaller than I was. A staff member greeted me politely and led me toward the classroom. I could hear the faint buzz of conversation before the door opened.
• Inside, twenty students waited. Some leaned forward with sketchbooks already open. Others sat back, arms crossed, measuring me the way students measure anyone who comes to stand in front of them. I greeted them quietly and set my bag on the desk.