He notices the frayed smile but has no idea what to do about it and so is going to just be friendly and act like he didn't. That seems probably like an okay way to react.

"Thoroughly mediocre, which is good enough, really."

He's not even really tracking that he's lying.

Hailey certainly doesn't catch the lie either.

"At least someone's breaking even today. Maybe lunch will cheer me up though."

And that's when Maya and Sable arrive, one sitting smoothly next to Joshua.

And the other dropping heavily to the seat next to Hailey. "Hey there, Joshua," she greets with a smile.

Then she blinks for a moment on seeing how frayed the girl is. "Oh no. What happened?"

She takes a slow breath. "Fuck... Sue in English gave me some shit about being a quote 'parentless tranny freak,' unquote," she explains in a low hiss, just loud enough for her girlfriends and new friend to hear. "She was quiet about it, didn't seem to think anyone else would have her back, but the bitch grabbed my shoulder and pulled me to face her when I ignored her."

She scowls. "Don't know how she found out. Managed not to punch her, though."

Sable sighs and offers Hailey a hand. "Good job."

She takes it and squeezes. "Thanks," she whispers.

Oh, Hailey's trans too. Well, the question is now just- are she and her friends the kind of people that think nonbinary people are valid, or are they not? Being good to Hailey is not proof they will be good to him, necessarily. He'd guess they would be but he kind of did just meet them this week. He does not yet know, and so will keep his secret for a little while longer.

"Well, it sounds like she's a seriously shitty person. Sorry you had to deal with that."

"Thanks, Joshua," she replies with a slight smile.

"Ugh, why's it so hard for some people to just accept differences?"

Maya squeezes Hailey's other hand, and strokes Sable's back gently. "Not everyone is you, love."

"Also some people just suck," Hailey snarks. Then she turns to Joshua. "If there's another infodump saved up in that brain o' yours, I could really use a distraction from thoughts of that bitch."

He has never been more prepared for a request in his life.