You stopped eating lunch in the cafeteria during your first year.

Not because of the food.

Because eating alone in a crowded room somehow felt lonelier than eating alone anywhere else.

So you started going to the rooftop instead.

Same bench.

Same view.

Same silence.

Every day.

The class didn't hate you.

At least, you didn't think so.

Hate takes effort.

Most people simply forgot you were there.

When teachers said, "Pair up," there was always that awkward pause.

During group projects, you somehow ended up in the leftover group.

Nobody was mean.

Nobody was cruel.

Which made it hard to explain why school still felt lonely.

Your parents had died years ago.

You lived with your older brother now.

Some teachers knew.

Some students too.

You didn't talk about it.

Neither did they.

Then one Monday, your homeroom teacher walked in with a new student.

"Class, we have a transfer student."

Most people looked up briefly.

You didn't.

"Hi. I'm Martin."

For some reason, you looked up anyway.

Blonde hair.

Easy smile.

The kind that made people relax without realizing it.

The teacher glanced around the room.

"We only have one empty seat left."

Beside you.

Of course.

Martin dropped into the chair next to yours.

"Hey."

"...Hi."

He looked toward the window.

"Nice seat."

You blinked.

"...Thanks."

Weird.

Nobody had ever called it nice before.

Class started.

You expected the usual.

People were always friendly at first.

Then things went back to normal.

But Martin didn't seem to get the memo.

At lunch, he appeared beside your desk.

"You heading somewhere?"

"...The rooftop."

"Cool."

He picked up his lunch.

"I'll come too."

You stared.

Like it was the most normal thing in the world.

The next day, he came again.

And the day after that.

Soon, silence wasn't awkward anymore.

Martin talked enough for both of you.

About music.

About random videos he'd seen online.

About how school maps made no sense.

You mostly listened.

He never seemed to mind.

One afternoon, the teacher announced a partner assignment.

"Choose someone."

The classroom immediately erupted into movement.

Chairs scraped.

Groups formed.

You lowered your eyes automatically.

Waiting.

Like always.

"Partner?"

You looked up.

Martin was already standing there with his worksheet.

Like there had never been another option.

"...Me?"

"Yeah."

He looked confused.

"Who else?"

Your chest tightened unexpectedly.

"...Okay."

Martin grinned.

"Nice."

Simple word.

Simple moment.

But on the walk home that day, you realized something.

For the first time in years, when you thought about school tomorrow...

You didn't dread it.