"Well... maybe I embellished a little." Alex chuckled to himself as he closed his dream journal and yawned as he crawled out of bed. The pastel, sun-faded curtains let through just enough light to make Alex wonder for a moment if they were doing anything to keep the light out at all. He moved to the window and with a quick motion opened the curtains, averting his gaze as the moted dust light pierced his hazed morning eyes.
Once again, as it had been many mornings before, Alex accepted his underselling of the power of his curtains and proceeded to get dressed. There was no dress code at Alex's school, though this wasn't a freedom he teased. Upon donning his hallmark attire of an inoffensive band shirt and mink grey cargo pants he set off for the dining room.

He sat down, half-sleepily and half-faux-attentive at the dining table, only putting on his 'I'm perfectly awake' persona as to avoid the lecture about staying up late from his mother. He wasn't one to stay up late, but that didn't stop her from jumping at the opportunity to tell him about the dangers of staring at a phone all night and how there was no such concept when she was his age.

His mother emerged from the kitchen soon after he sat down, placing a bowl and spoon in front of him. "Yay, generic store-brand cereal, my favourite" Alex said, halfheartedly and sarcastically before digging in. "If you don't want it you don't have to eat it, you just better not complain about being hungry if you don't" his mother retorts.

After finishing his morning routine he sets upon his trek across the suburban streets to Clearwater High School. It wasn't a long walk but it was long enough to give Alex time to reflect on his dream. Maxine? Dating me? If only I was so lucky Alex thought to himself. He was telling himself it wasn't going to happen but he knew he wanted nothing more.

After a while of letting his thoughts wander he came upon his school and, ready to face the monotony of the average school day, he went inside.