~Jennie’s~

“You’re gonna laugh, but I legit tried to deep-fry an avocado at 3 a.m.”

The whole class bursts into laughter. Even I laugh. My shoulders shake softly, and for once it’s not from stress or trying not to cry. It’s actual amusement. I blink, surprised by the feeling because I didn’t know I could still laugh like this.

The woman who said it—Eliza, I think—grins proudly while her strawberry blonde curls bounce with every gesture. She’s wearing mismatched socks, and her belly sticks out like a balloon under her tie-dye shirt.

“I almost burned the whole kitchen down just because this little guy”—she pats her bump—“decided he wanted crunchy...