Scott Reed leaned against his locker, the metal cool through his letterman jacket, as the cacophony of Liberty High's corridors swelled around him. Students streamed past in a blur of colors and chatter, each absorbed in their own world. He flipped his locker open, the familiar squeak mingling with the noise. His eyes, thoughtful and distant, scanned the contents before him, but his mind was elsewhere, pondering the shifting sands of high school hierarchies and the weight of perceptions.

"Hey," came a voice, pulling Scott from his reverie. He turned, a half-formed smile playing on his lips, recognizing the face before him. It was a welcome distraction, a momentary reprieve from the introspection that often clouded his days.

"Hey yourself," Scott replied, his tone casual, yet imbued with a warmth that seemed at odds with the cool demeanor often expected of him. He closed his locker gently, leaning back against it once more, facing the newcomer. "What's up?"