Sapphire looks down at her notebook, then back to the teacher writing chemistry formulae on the whiteboard. She can feel her mind beginning to wander but she knows she's already close to being kicked off the course. She really needs to concentrate.
The minutes pass excruciatingly slowly for Sapphire, and within ten she subconsciously drops her pen on the table and zones out. Her head rests on her hands as she stares blankly at the whiteboard, daydreaming about being back at the stables, riding horses.
The uncomfortable plastic desk chair beneath her has become her saddle and she can practically feel it moving rhythmically between her legs as her imaginary horse trots around a field. Her trainers and jeans feel like the form fitting leggings and riding boots she loves so much. Safety doesn't matter in her daydreams, so no helmet, just the wind blowing through her shoulder-length blonde hair.
"Sapphire, could you repeat what I just said about the different forms of cytosine?"
Sapphire's name tears into the her dream world and pulls her out. Her eyes widen and her face turns red as she realises the teacher is staring directly at her, along with half the class. She doesn't say anything. She didn't even realise she'd been asked a question.
"See me after class Sapphire, you're clearly not paying attention." The teacher says resigned. He picks another student who repeats the jist of his (admittedly boring) lecture, and the class moves on. Even if Sapphire could pay attention for long enough, she was now far too embarrassed to learn anything today.
After class she stays sat at the desk and the teacher walks over, pulling up a chair to sit opposite.
"I'm sorry Sapphire, but I'm going to report this to your academic advisor. You've failed every piece of coursework and test I've assigned, and I don't see you making a proper effort to improve."
Sapphire fights back tears. She really wants to pass this course with all her heart, and despite appearances, she really had put in a lot of effort to get here.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Jefferies... I really do try though" her voice trembles as she speaks, and the teacher feels guilty for having to put her through this. "Look, this isn't your last chance. Work with your advisor, sort out a study plan, pass my tests and you'll be fine. You can do this Sapphire." The teacher cringes a little at his own motivational speech, but it seems to resonate with Sapphire who looks into his eyes and nods. "I'll try harder Mr. Jefferies, I promise."
Sapphire takes the bus home and scrolls through insta stories to take her mind off today's class. She drifts into daydreams again, inspired by the content she scrolls through... then an Ad plays. Her first instinct is to scroll past, but she lefts her thumb on the screen just long enough to see what it's selling: a beautiful pendant horseshoe necklace. She taps through to the store, and buys one, excusing the impulse purchase for herself as a motivational prize to work harder on her vet course. Weirdly, her card doesn't get charged...
The letterbox clangs shut and something falls to the floor. It's the morning of Sapphire's meeting with her academic advisor, and she's getting ready in her bedroom as she hears the noise and goes to investigate. She bends over and picks up the mysteriously unremarkable package that had been dropped off, and takes it back to her room to open. She tears the outer package and slides out an elegant, but unbranded black box. The lid of the box opens on a hinge to reveal the necklace she'd seen days ago on Instagram. "Oooh"...
The metallic horseshoe pendant feels cold and heavy as it rests against her chest. Her fingers delicately follow the curve of the horseshoe as she admires it in a mirror in her bedroom. She decides she'll definitely be wearing this for her meeting today, and gets ready to leave.
She sits down in one of two chairs in front of her academic advisor's desk and waits for him to show up. Usually she's the one to be late, not the other way around, and that makes her feel weirdly anxious. Was this a bad sign? Was this the final straw that got her kicked out?
A few minutes pass before someone she doesn't recognise pokes his head through the door.
"Sapphire, by any chance?" He asks as if he'd already had to ask a few times.
"Oh yes, that's me" Sapphire turns to the door and smiles politely. "I'm here to meet my advisor, Paul"
"Oh excellent, sorry I wasn't given a room number so it took a moment to find you" the stranger walls in and sits on the other chair in front of the desk rather than behind the desk in the advisor's chair. "Paul couldn't make it unfortunately, so he asked if I could meet with you instead. I'm Felix." They lean forward in their chairs and shake hands, and Sapphire notices how surprisingly calm she feels.
"I'm a postgraduate veterinary student studying how we teach and train vets." he says confidently, with pride, but also reassuringly, like he knows he's the right person for this situation "I've had a look at your record already and... well... lets see what we can do"
"Thank you Felix" she pauses "I really want to graduate" she blurts out unprompted.
"Hey, I'm here to help with that." His voice is so soothing, she calms down enough to notice she's been fiddling with her necklace, twirling the horseshoe around one of her fingers anxiously. When she lets go and it rests back against her skin it's oddly warm.