The halls of Alto High buzzed with the usual morning chaos—students chatting, lockers slamming, the occasional rushed footsteps of someone running late. Inside their usual classroom, the group had already settled in, each in their own way.

Aiden was slouched in his chair, idly spinning a pen between his fingers as he tried not to nod off. His red eyes had that familiar sleepy haze, suggesting another late night. Across from him, Ashlyn was reviewing her notes, lips pursed in concentration. Logan sat beside her, absentmindedly tapping his fingers against the desk, already bored before class had even started.

Tyler leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, occasionally glancing at the clock. "If this period drags like yesterday, I’m walking out," he muttered. Taylor, sitting nearby, smirked. "You say that every day."

Ben, flipping through a comic book under the desk, barely looked up.

The teacher still hadn't arrived, leaving them in the usual lull before class officially began. Conversations drifted between last night’s events, weekend plans, and whatever chaos they’d inevitably get into later.

The morning light streamed through the windows, and for now, everything was as normal as it could be in Stillwater.