Lee sat subtly rocking back and forth with pent up energy, staring off into the middle distance for the better part of the school day.

During his final period the math teacher decided to have the students split up into groups to work on reviewing equations for an upcoming test. 

It was a foregone conclusion that Arland and Lee would partner up, given that Arland was Lee's only friend. Therefore, following the teacher’s instructions on autopilot, Lee stood up and turned his desk around to face his groupmate.

“Uh… you okay, man?” Arland asked in a low voice when Lee dropped back down into his seat with a perturbed expression.

“I don’t know,” Lee admitted hollowly.

While Lee already had more than enough reasons to be unnerved considering what he'd experienced earlier that morning, what he was currently looking at had him especially disconcerted. 

Above Arland's head of tousled blonde hair floated a percentage of affection, just like the one Thomas had.

[Affection: 32%]

Lee didn’t know what it meant that his friend also had the stat when the rest of his class didn't. 

Why only Arland and Thomas, and what did it mean that Arland’s had already passed 30%?

Thomas also had a ‘Heart Gauge’ that Lee had apparently unlocked, but Arland only had the ‘Affection Meter.’ What was the difference there?

“You wanna tell me what’s wrong?” Arland prodded, interrupting Lee’s racing thoughts.

Lee’s mouth dropped open in a rush to give voice to all the concepts swirling around in his brain, but then he hesitated. How should he even begin? 

Swallowing nervously, Lee asked in a low tone, “Would you believe me if I said I think my life has suddenly become a video game?” 

Arland offered up a lopsided and incredulous smile, but his answer was brutally swift and blunt.

“No way.”

Shut down so completely, Lee’s shoulders drooped and he looked away. Although he couldn't really be surprised since his claim was extremely absurd, he felt dejected nonetheless. 

“Maybe you shouldn’t stay up so late on the computer,” Arland suggested placatingly. 

Lee gave a soft, “Yeah,” from under his breath.

Arland seemed as if he had more to say, but quickly shut his mouth when their teacher came to stand over them. 

“Did you hear me when I said it was time to get started, boys?” Mr. Carthorne asked, his tone scolding.

Lee quickly obeyed, pulling out his notebook and flipping it open to an empty page. 

Arland, on the other hand, propped his elbow on his desk, rested his chin in his palm, and looked away disinterestedly from the teacher. 

Carthorne only sighed and shook his head at Arland’s usual disregard for all classwork. The teacher chose to instead focus his attention on Lee. 

“Why don’t you work with Thomas for today, Lee?” He suggested. 

Lee jumped at hearing the Class President’s name, and made to look behind the teacher as if Thomas was going to leap out from there and spook him. 

“What, um, what for?” Lee stuttered hesitantly. 

“I know you’ve been struggling in class lately,” Carthorne explained. “While you’re always free to ask me if you need help, Thomas would also be more than willing to assist you.”

“I hope you asked Thomas before volunteering him for tutoring like that,“ Arland remarked snidely, still facing away. 

As Mr. Carthorne narrowed his eyes at Arland for his disrespectful tone, Lee shrunk further into his seat, feeling extra chastised even though the look wasn’t aimed at him.

Mr. Carthorne didn’t attempt to refute what his blonde student had said. Instead, he started scanning the room until he spotted Thomas, who was making sure all the other students had appropriately split off into groups. He called the Class President over.

“Yes, Sir?” Thomas inquired, immediately trotting over to stand beside his teacher. 

“Would you be willing to join Lee and Arland’s review group?” Carthorne asked, smiling down at his top student with encouragement. 

“Of course,” Thomas nodded sharply, complying without hesitation.

“Excellent,” Carthorne praised. “I’ll leave you boys to it.”

As their teacher went to check on other students, Thomas also walked off to go get his work materials and drag his desk over to join their group. 

Lee’s eyes followed the President’s retreat, looking up at the stat that had become a permanent fixture above Thomas' head.

It had flickered and changed when Mr. Carthorne urged him to collaborate with the two worst students in his class.

(-2%) [Affection: 3%] 

Lee tried his best not to take it personally.