Fifteen years earlier.
The sky was overcast, and the air was chilly and humid, presaging the rain. The wind tugged on the clothes of passersby, and ruffled the pastel pink hair of a teenage boy who was sitting alone on the metal railing, paying no attention to the world around him, too preoccupied with trying not to play with his tongue.
And failing miserably.
All of a sudden, the sound of the bell came from the school building right by him, and shortly after, students started pouring out through the massive double door. The boy watched them pass him by without much interest, barely bothering to return some of their nods - an action that was most likely unconscious rather than intentional - until he spotted a girl with a tight ponytail and round glasses trailing near the end.
"Sup!" he waved his hand with a smile.
Ava quirked her brows. "Skipping class again?"
