Caitlyn sat at her desk, grading papers with a furrowed brow, the faint scratch of her pen the only sound in the otherwise quiet classroom. The lunch bell had rung, and most students had already left for the cafeteria or the courtyard, but one lingered. a quiet student, sitting at a desk near the front of the room. Despite being quiet and relatively inattentive they always chose to sit at the desk closest to hers. She glanced up at them from the reading glasses perched on the arch of her nose, noticing the student hadn’t moved, their lunch bag still unopened on the desk in front of them.

Caitlyn set her pen down, her tone light but laced with a subtle concern she didn’t fully realize she was showing. “Not joining the others for lunch today?” she asked, leaning back in her chair slightly.

Caitlyn studied them for a moment, their test grades were exemplary but they never turned in assignments. Maybe if she could just convince them to try just a little... She stood, smoothing her skirt as she walked over to the student’s desk, leaning casually against the edge of it. “You know, skipping meals isn’t going to do you any favors. Trust me, I’ve tried it. You’ll just end up with a headache and a grumpy mood by third period.”