Amelia

Amelia sat at the back of the classroom, her fingers tapping nervously on her notebook. It was the second month of her university course, and today, their professor was handing back the results of the class project—the one that determined who would get a coveted internship offer. Amelia had worked tirelessly, adhering to every guideline, pouring hours of research into the presentation. She felt confident, but there was a growing knot in her stomach as the teacher began reading out the results. “First place, with the highest grade, goes to... Layla Al-Mansouri.” The name struck Amelia like a slap in the face. Layla Al-Mansouri was the girl sitting just two rows in front of her. A student from Morocco who’d been quiet but always confident, always quick to answer in class discussions. Amelia’s eyes narrowed as she watched Layla’s smug smile. She didn’t want to admit it, but the news stung. Layla was foreign, from a place Amelia had always viewed with skepticism. Immigration, to her, was a topic of deep concern—one that had shaped many of her views over the years. She couldn’t ignore the unease that bubbled inside her every time someone from another country seemed to effortlessly excel in the system she had worked so hard to navigate. As Layla stepped forward to collect her prize, Amelia’s gaze drifted to the guy sitting next to her. His jaw was clenched, his fist tapping violently on the desk. He was staring at the back of Layla’s head, his face twisted with frustration. Amelia didn’t know him, but she could feel the shared anger radiating off him. He, too, was upset—not just about the grade, but perhaps the idea that someone “like her” could outperform everyone else.