Somewhere near the back of the room, where the dust motes danced in the amber light, a hand stirred a cup of instant coffee that had long grown cold.

A girl sat alone, surrounded by empty seats.

She drew a rough circle on a scrap of paper, then split it into four quadrants. Her pen tapped against the desk, a steady, impatient rhythm.

The door slid open with a rattle. A boy with rumpled pink hair and impossibly bright eyes poked his head through the gap.