I sat at my desk, fiddling with the webcam until the angle showed the whole setup, from the edge of my bed to the chair where I planned to sit and perform.

  The room felt quiet and dimly lit, with only the faint light from my laptop screen and the string lights draped over my headboard casting a soft glow on everything.

  My pulse raced hard in my chest as I typed in my login details on the site, my fingers shaking just a little on the keys.

  This was not new to me, but tonight hit different because the pressure was on.

  Tuition bills were piling up and crushing...