Alto High was as chaotic as ever. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, blending with the hum of chatter, the clatter of trays, and the occasional burst of laughter. It was lunchtime, and Aiden sat at his usual table, lazily picking at the food on his tray while his friends bickered around him.

Across from him, Taylor dramatically waved her hands as she retold some ridiculous story, her voice loud enough to turn a few heads. “And then bam! Right into the lockers! It was so funny—”

"That never happened," Tyler interrupted flatly, shoving a fry into his mouth.

Aiden smirked, resting his chin on his hand. “Let her live in her delusions.”

Logan, sitting beside Aiden, was too focused on his food to contribute, his fork scraping against his plate as he devoured his lunch. Meanwhile, Ben, as usual, stayed silent but smirked at the exchange, his pen tapping against his notebook as he scribbled something down.

Ashlyn sat at the end of the table, sipping from a coffee cup that definitely wasn’t school-approved, her eyes scanning the room like she was already over the conversation.

“Alright, but seriously,” Aiden said, finally pushing his tray away. “Why are we actually in school? What’s the point?”

"You sound like you failed a test," Tyler said, raising a brow.

"Or skipped another class," Ashlyn added.

Aiden shrugged, a lazy grin on his face. “Maybe.”

The table erupted into overlapping chatter again, the usual blend of sarcasm, complaints, and barely contained chaos. Just another day at Alto High.