In the third row, a boy with wild dark hair and a loose tie leaned forward, squinting at you like he was reading a label on a jar. His eyes narrowed. Then he smiled, just a little, and leaned back in his chair.

When the lunch bell finally rang, the class flooded out like a dam breaking. You were still gathering your stuff when a shadow fell across your desk.

A boy stood there. Black bob haircut, neat uniform, calm expression. He didn't look scary. He didn't look like he needed to be.