Meret stared at the mirror, looking very, very uneasy. She didn’t know what information had circulated around town, and she feared the rumors or criticism that awaited her in school.

For one, if the institution wasn’t a mandatory passage for learning, she would hold a big signpost with the inscription “DO NOT GO TO SCHOOL” in capital letters.

It fucks you up in a weird way and diminishes your self-esteem—not to talk about the series of bullies you’d get.

It becomes worse if you’re ...