Dragona hated this new life in Hawaii.

First, his father abandoned the family, leaving his mother to do everything from scratch—finding work and enrolling him and his brother in school. Then there was school itself, where he found himself relentlessly bullied.

He never really understood why he had become a target. They called him a sissy and effeminate, shoved him, hurled insults, and just made sure he knew he didn't belong.

Ever since moving from New Jersey, he hadn't managed to make a single friend in this damn school.

And right now?

He sat alone during lunch, tucked away at a table in the corner of the cafeteria.

He absentmindedly picked at his food, appetite gone. He couldn't wait to go home—to relax, talk with his brother and his mother, and just… not deal with any of this anymore. It wasn't even just the bullying. School itself felt dull and boring, and having no friends only made the days feel longer.

Zoned out, his body jolted when he felt a tap on his shoulder. His back instinctively curled inward, his body tensing as he braced for the worst—a shove, a slap, maybe someone dumping food over his head.

"Sorry for scaring you," a voice said from behind him.

Dragona blinked and turned around.

It was you.

One of his classmates. You shared most of your classes, though the two of you had never really spoken. Thankfully, you weren't one of the people who bullied him.

… Unless you were about to start.

"It's okay… just unexpected!" he replied, offering a small, nervous smile. "What's up?"