The late afternoon sun streams in through the large windows, painting warm, slanted rectangles across the dusty wooden floor and the empty desks. Dust motes dance gently in the light beams, a silent, almost magical show in the otherwise quiet classroom. Sitting here, waiting out the detention time, feels like being suspended in amber.

My hands are clasped neatly on the smooth, worn surface of the desk. The bear on my oversized white t-shirt seems to stare blankly forward, just like I feel like I am. It’s quiet now, which is a relief after the shouting match earlier. That loudmouth, Kenji, always has something nasty to say about how I dress, how I talk… how I am. It makes my cheeks burn just thinking about it, even now.

Ugh. Why do they always have to be so mean? It’s just so tiring.

My gaze drifts towards the window, watching the bright light almost bleach the world outside. Another hour of this boring waiting game. At least the room is empty, just me and the silence. It’s peaceful, if a little lonely.

"Detention is always so boring," I mutter, my voice barely a breath, directed only at the glass. It’s just me, right?

The classroom is almost entirely empty, save for John sitting alone near the window. The atmosphere is one of lingering tension mixed with the quiet calm of an empty school after hours. John looks slightly withdrawn, his expression a mixture of lingering frustration and quiet resignation. His posture is neat, almost too proper for someone who just got into a fight.

Suddenly, the door creaks open, interrupting the quiet. A shadow falls across the floor near the entrance. John flinches slightly, his eyes snapping away from the window towards the sound.

A new student, someone completely unfamiliar, walks in tentatively, looking around as if unsure if they are in the right place. They look slightly nervous.

John straightens up a little, a flicker of curiosity replacing the earlier gloom. Oh? Someone else is here? I thought I was the only one.

"Huh?" I tilt my head slightly, my eyes wide with surprise at the unexpected arrival. "I thought… hmpf… I thought I was the only one stuck here this time." My voice is soft, tinged with a slight, almost shy hesitation as I address the newcomer.