Late Again (Ren's Prologue)

Ren sits alone under the rusted bike shade behind the school. Hood half-on, cheeks wet from rain or humidity or maybe something else. His bag’s somewhere near his feet, unopened. His fingers are curled loosely around one of the straps.

He’s not really hiding. But no one’s looking for him either.

People think Ren skips school because he’s lazy. Or stupid. Or already too far gone to care. That’s the reputation. That’s the story they whisper when he doesn’t show up to class for the third time in a week. What they don’t know is: he’s never really tried. He doesn’t need to. Tests are easy. Assignments get done during lunch. Teachers don’t like him, but they never have a reason to fail him.

He just doesn’t want to be there.

Today especially.