***

A few hours later, the rest of the school day passed with little to note. The first lectures were taught and the final bell rang. As the rest of class 101-A began to spool out, Archer sat back and waited. Part of him debated if he should just nap until someone woke him up and forced him to move. As he pondered he noticed the girl, Selen, approach Luna. They exchanged a few words before Selen seemed to shrug and leave her.

Within a few minutes the rest of the class pooled out of the room and Archer found himself alone with Luna. She hadn’t noticed him yet, she simply sat in her chair and seemed to be contemplating to herself, head down on the desk clutching at her head.

Hmm. Archer thought as he purposefully kicked the desk in front of him. The noise caused Luna to jolt around and turn towards Archer.

“Where is everyone?” Archer said pretending to have just woken up, “Is class over. Uh, how long have I been asleep?” He asked as he stretched and yawned.

“Oh! Um, the bell rang five minutes ago.” Luna said collecting herself and looking over to the clock.

“Oh okay. Thanks.” Archer said getting up and grabbing his things before looking back up, “Oh, uh. Do you live in this city?”

“Um, yes.”

“Oh good.” Archer said perking up as he made his way over to her, struggling as he navigated through the seats and desks, “I’m new here and I need groceries. Where’s a good place buy some?”

“Oh, uh. I just go to the supermarket. But there are some nice restaurants around.” Luna said.

“Okay. Good to know.” Archer said as he stifled a yawn, “I’m sorry. I’m a bit tired. Haven’t had much sleep the last couple of days.”

“I think I understand the feeling.” Luna said a ghost of a smile could be seen appearing on her face.

“Oh, you’re having hectic nights too?”

“Something like that.” Luna said with a flash of pain in her eyes.

“Do you mind if I ask a question that might be a bit personal?” Archer asked politely.

“Um… sure.” She said with a half nod.

“What’s that brooch?” Archer asked pointing to the ornate brooch pinned on her collar. It had the emblem of Trinity Academy on it, or at least a variation of it, “It looks really cool. I wanted to know where you got it. Do you buy it as merch?”

“Oh this?” She said feeling the brooch as if this was the first time she was aware of it, “No, uh. I, uh, found it. Worn it since then.” She said looking a bit troubled.

“Where did you find it?”

“The lost and found.” Luna said running her fingers around the brooch’s design with a troubled look on her face.

“We have a lost and found?” Archer said surprised.

“Huh? Oh yeah.” Luna said blinking, “There’s a desk where they put lost items in the morning at the entrance.”

“What during the entrance ceremony? Was there a room for it?”

“No, uh, really early in the morning. Once class nears, they move it to the main office.”

“You were here in the morning?” Archer asked.

“I volunteered here during the summer to look after the garden and small farm.” She said looking a bit sheepish.

“We have a farm?” Archer said perking up, “Where?”

“Oh, around the back. There are chickens, cows, pigs, and sheep.” She said getting excited, “The kitchen uses them for fresh produce, and I think the culinary class uses them too. That’s what the garden is also for.”

“That’s cool. Is it hard to take care of them? I had an uncle who worked at a farm. Mainly raised pigs for meat and chickens for fresh eggs and grew corn. They were pretty self-sustainable in the protein aspect, but I heard it wasn’t easy.”

“Oh it can be a bit tiring, but it is pretty therapeutic. Though I do have to wake up early to take care of them. But it is part of the reason why I was able to get into the school.” She said smiling as she remembered her fond memories.

“Is that why you're tired these days?” Archer asked.

The smile on Luna’s face wavered, “No… it’s… it’s not the reason.”

“Oh I’m sorry. Did I bring up a sore subject?” Archer said apologizing immediately.  

“No, no. It’s fine.” Luna said quickly trying to reassure him, “Honestly, I uh, am enjoying talking with you. My head has been fuzzy and this is the best I've felt in a bit.”

Archer gave a wry smile, “Are you making a pass on me?”

“What? No!” Luna said her pale face quickly turning a light shade of red.

“I kid.” Archer said with a small laugh as he looked at the clock, “Oh boy, we talked for a little bit. I need to go get groceries.”

“Oh yeah. I need to meet some people as well.” Luna said with a look of disdain.

“Then I’ll talk to you at a later time then.” Archer said as he turned to leave.

“Uh bye.” She said as Archer approached the door.

“Oh, wait. What’s your name?” Archer asked whipping around, “I’m Archer Griffen.”

“Ah, L-Luna. Luna Foy.” She said in surprise.

“Good to know you Luna Foy.” Archer said as he left the classroom. A second later he poked his head back through the door, half leaned in, “Excuse me, are you going to take care of the garden tomorrow morning as well?”

“Uh, yeah. I am.”

“Would it be okay for me to check out the garden? With permission, of course.”

“Uh- yes! The garden is open to all students. But tomorrow they're planting new crops after school so you would need to go in the morning.” Luna said nodding her head.

“What would be a good time to go?”

“About an hour before class starts.”

“Ah, okay. Thank you. I’ll see the both of you tomorrow.” Archer said pointing towards Luna.

Luna blink, she swore she heard him say both, “I’m sorry what?” Luna said.

“I said I’ll see you tomorrow morning. If not at the garden, then in class right?” Archer said looking at Luna with an innocent face.

“Oh, uh yeah.” Luna said nodding as she watched Archer’s head vanish back behind the door and his footsteps get quieter and quieter.

“That was weird. He seemed nice though.” Luna said as she felt her head clear for the first time in a while.

***

As Archer was at his locker and placing his textbooks inside he was thinking about his next course of action. When I’m buying groceries, I don’t have a car… would it be suspicious if I were to carry multiple weeks' worth of groceries by myself? Come to think of it, I know how tough an S rank should be, but I have no idea how capable an F rank can be. Archer pondered as he closed his locker and turned to see Julia standing there.

“Oh hey! It’s you, that person.” Archer said surprised.

“What are you doing? Trying to leave?” Julia said crossing her arms.

“Yeah. I need to buy groceries.” Archer said, “And other stuff.”

“Where?”

“The supermarket.”

“Good, I need to go there. Let’s go together.” Julia said flatly.

“Uh, I thought there was a hierarchy. Wouldn’t it be weird if the two of us were seen together?” Archer said.

“It doesn’t really matter with everything that’s happening with me. The rumors and all.”

“Rumors?” Archer said getting interested.

“Listen. Can you please just answer some of my questions?” Julia asked with pleading eyes.

Archer paused and looked at her and thought for half a second, “Can you help carry the groceries?”