– Oh, oops.

"Yep," he responds. "It's sort of – small town, a little weird, but it doesn't seem too awful?"

"A glowing review, we're so glad you like it. Honestly, it's a bit boring at times, but then we'll have a period of strange animal activity to make up for it. I've always appreciated that in a town." 

"Often get strange animal activity?"

"Not that often. Maybe once a season." 

"Yay for small towns."

"It's not really a big deal. We live near the mountains, there's occasional animals, it's just how things are. They usually don't come into town. You'll be fine if you stay out of the woods."

Looks like it's time for class!

Class goes by.

Tyler tries not to stare out the window in boredom too much.

Nothing happens outside the window! Totally normal animal activity! Really!

The English teacher doesn't comment.

He squints (very slightly) at the potentially-abnormal animal activity, in case there's any obvious pattern to the weirdness.

Unless, of course, it's actually normal.

Totally normal, pay attention to class.

Such impertinence.

He's awful, he knows.

He's able to answer questions if the teacher asks them, though – he's paying… half an ear, ish.

She doesn't call on him at all. 

And that's English class.

And next, Tyler has calc.

Calc continues to be normal, as do gym and chem.

Lunch at least has snacks to dull the boredom.

And conversation, too!

… Presumably.

Presumably! The only people he recognizes are Danny-

-and his new favorite freshman.

Ooh, favorite freshman.

Is he sitting with anyone else?

Just that guy.

Byron? Bryce? Something like that.

Well, cool, Tyler will go sit with Favorite Freshman.

"Hello."

"Hey...what's up?"

"Not a ton," he shrugs. "We met – yesterday, right?"

"Yeah, we did. I kind of got introduced to a lot of people. I'm Ethan, which you probably remember."