Slacking off in chemistry, having biology to himself and actually being okay there, though a bit bored, then physics, where he sat at the back being bored and a bit of a dick, then leaving halfway through because 'dentist', going to look up how to get out of school early – seriously, that was an overreaction – and then getting super into Kay at lunch?

Then math, where he was ignoring people and trying not to decide to punch somebody to make things more fun, and then gym, where he was, again, a dick.

Yeah.

It sounds a bit worrying, really.

It does.

You know… you could, uh—

No. He doesn't want to.

Has he seen the warnings? The notices on the metro and things?

There are clinics and things specifically set up to help.

It's kinda important that he go.

Yes, but he's not crazy. He refuses to be crazy, or consider himself crazy, or be labeled crazy, because he is not crazy.

But… did he just totally ignore what he said?

He…

Yeah. He kinda did.

He really doesn't want to be crazy.

It doesn't mean he's crazy, it just means he's struggling with things, and there are ways to deal with this stuff.

… And it's really important that he go. Otherwise it might just get worse.

Can't he just… wait? See if they calm down and if he's okay at some point? That makes sense, right?

… No. It, uh. It really doesn't.

She thought he'd be a bit… smarter about this, really.

So she takes the decision out of his hands, and instead of trying to convince him, she just tells him that he needs to go and takes him to one of the clinics.

And, after a bit of complaining, he acquiesces, because… well, he realizes that he really should be smarter about this.

It's his mind.

Rashel usually provides good advice.

But still. He doesn't want to, but he does in fact go.

And then, come the first day of the next week, Rashel is standing at school looking rather bewildered.

And Kay notices this. "Hey, Rashel... are you alright?"

"Yeah, I just…" she starts, then hesitates, but does say, "You know how Thar was acting weirdly in gym last week?"

"Yeah, is he still being mean to you?"

"Uh, no, I…" Then she decides she probably shouldn't be discussing Thar's mental state with a relative stranger, and says, "No, he's being okay, I'm just… not sure why he's not at school is all."

And here's Ev! He looks a bit confused by how Rashel's acting, but decides to get the story out of her later.

"Probably decided to keep up with the jerkass rebel phase and skip school. Don't worry about him."

She's… not sure about that, but the bell goes before she responds. She has biology first, the other guys have physics.

And so the day goes by.

Until their study period, when Thar can be found sitting at their regular table in the library.

He looks pretty happy and laid-back.

Oh, okay.

Well… Rashel will talk to him at some point. About things.

And maybe at least one pair of cousins will try to ignore Thar.

Ev sits down next to Thar but doesn't talk to him.