Simon sat in the tallest tree in the woods, hiding from the world. His eyes scanned each page thoroughly, then they stopped and rested as he thought. Warm evening sunlight dripped through the leaves of the trees. Simon watched as small particles of dust floated in and out of the beams of light, meandering through space and time. He smiled. How wonderful would that be, he thought. Not having anywhere to go or anything to do. We could focus on the more important stuff. He stretched his arms above his head and yawned, then went back to watching the dust.

"Simon!" a voice called from the edge of the woods. "Some get your supper, honey!"

Simon smiled to himself again, but with remorse. Why couldn't he just live out here in the woods for once? No, there wouldn't be breakfast and lunch and supper, and no warm beds either, but he would be free, even if for just a day. He jumped down from the tree and walked along the old path he had worn back to his house. His mother greeted him at the door.

"Come in, sweetie. We're having your favorite tonight, vegetable soup!"

"Thank you, mom," Simon said with shyness in his voice. He knew what question was about to come next.

"No need to thank me," she replied. "I'm just doing my job." She ladled some soup into a bowl as Simon sat down at the dinner table. "How was your day at school today?"

There it was. The dreaded question. "Fine," Simon answered, looking into his soup and avoiding eye contact. His mother sat beside him with her soup.

"Well, you know me. I want details! What did you do in your first hour?"

"We read Coral Island. We're reading it as a class now."

"And how do you like it?" his mom asked.

Simon thought. "It seems unrealistic. Wouldn't at least one bad thing happen out there on that island?"

"Well, the author used the excuse you always hear at school. The one about how we're British, so nothing bad can happen to us. How about second hour?"

"We were given a worksheet on finding variables. I finished it in no time flat."

"Third hour?"

"Social studies. We learned about Greece. They were all quite smart."

"Fourth?"

"More protons and neutrons."

"Lunch?"

Simon blinked. "What about it?"

His mother laughed. "Who did you sit by? What did you talk about?"

"I ate. I didn't sit by anyone. I just ate."

His mother's smile faded. "Oh," she said softly. "Well, go on then."

"The rest of the day I was in a locker, so there isn't much to talk about. I apologized to the kid whose locker it was, though. He was scared to death."

"What? How did you get there?"

"Merridew."

His mother rolled her eyes. "That snobby boy? He's a jerk, just don't let him push you around.

"He's twice my height."

"Yes, Simon, but you're both the same age. You have just as much authority as him."

"But I don't," Simon argued quietly. "How much power can I have compared to him? He's Merridew!"

"Someday, you're going to be a great person, Simon. Jack is just going to end up being a bully."

"A bully? Like Dad?" Simon added.

His mother took a deep breath in and released it. "No. Well, yes. But… I don't know. How about you go work on homework."

"Okay."

She stood up and left the table with her soup.