How was school?

For as long as Ty Archer could remember, this was a question he always looked forward to answering. He had always excelled in all his classes, which was never a difficult task for him. He had to thank his sharp mind for that, and of course being the product of two intelligent individuals helped tremendously.

Even as a child, Ty could vividly remember the confusion that graced his fellow classmates faces when dealing with "hard" classwork. For him, the thought was practically foreign. A simple math problem caused the other kids stress but for Ty, it was child's play.

This continued on for most of his school life. Sure, challenges would rear its ugly head in from time to time, but he didn't mind it. In fact, he gladly welcomed it. The bright young man would never stray away from a challenge.

At least- that's what he thought.

Ringworm Junior High was now but a distant memory taken over by a new competitor.
Hookworm High.

Freshman year had been something Ty had looked forward to for ages. For one, he could finally reunite with Abby, who was already a Sophomore. Graduating from Ringworm was a great accomplishment for her, and while she and Ty had been happy about it, both were nonetheless saddened by the fact that they wouldn't be able to see each other in school until Ty graduated. But when he walked through the entrance of Hookworm, he spotted a flash of red hair and soon he found himself in a bone crushing hug from his older sister. Although he was embarrassed by the snickering crowd witnessing the scene, he gladly returned the embrace.

Along with the new challenging courses, a new school atmosphere, and new faces around every corner. It was all a brand new experience he was dying to dive into.

Time flew by, as Ty was now starting his Junior year.

All the past excitement he felt years prior had diminished overtime. It was a slow, gradual, painful progress. But it finally hit Ty Archer like a ton of bricks, making him feel crushed practically every waking moment.

To say he was miserable would be an understatement.

"So, how was school?"

Ty looked up from his untouched food towards the source of the voice. It was his mother, who smiled sweetly at him from across the dinner table.

How was school?

Kent punched me in the gut today. I barely payed attention in class. I didn't feel like going to the robotics club with Andy and Jasmine. I felt fucking empty all day. That's how was school, mother.

Ty shot her a fake smile, something he managed to master over the years.

"Interesting as always, mom." It took all his willpower for his reply to not drip with sarcasm. Instead, it rang with a false sense of joy, something that at one point had always been so sincere.

He grew tired of lying to his parent's faces everyday, but what could he do? He didn't want to worry them when they were already busy with their jobs and responsibilities. Abby had voiced some concern over Ty's odd behavior, whether it was his tired appearance or how withdrawn he could become. But he would always respond with a tooth grin and a snarky remark to ease her worries.

It was simple. As long as he flashed his bright smile and showed some level of enthusiasm, no one would have to worry.

And yet...The facade grew harder to keep up with each passing day.

Thank you to anyone who reads this, i'm sorry if the writing isn't that good. Hopefully i'll improve with each chapter.

Until next time~