Halo

 "So, what's the deal with the new kid?" Emily asked, her curiosity piqued as they watched him from the corner of the schoolyard.

"I dunno, he's kind of weird," her friend Laura replied, her eyes following the solitary figure with a mix of fascination and skepticism.

"Weird how?"

"Just... different. He doesn't talk much, keeps to himself." Laura shrugged, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "But he's got this... I don't know, this vibe."

Emily nodded thoughtfully. The new student, Alex, had indeed been the talk of the school since he'd arrived. His silence was as loud as any of the other kids' laughter, and his eyes... there was something about the way he looked at you that made you feel like he could see right through you.

---

Alex sat alone at the far end of the lunch table, staring at the half-eaten sandwich in front of him. He'd tried to make friends, but every attempt had been met with either awkward silence or a hasty retreat. It wasn't that he didn't know how to interact with people; he just didn't know how to interact with people here. This place was so... strange. So... ordinary.

He missed the comforting hum of the engineered city, the way the buildings grew taller and more complex the closer you got to the center. Here, everything was flat and open, the sky stretching out in an endless blue canvas that made him feel exposed. He missed the familiar scent of metal and ozone, replaced by the overpowering aroma of freshly cut grass and the distant waft of someone's lunch meat.

---

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch and the start of the next class. Alex gathered his things, his shoulders slumping slightly as he stood. He was already dreading the inevitable stares and whispers that would follow him down the hall. As he approached the classroom door, someone bumped into him, sending his books flying.

"Watch where you're going, freak!" a voice snarled.

Alex looked up to see a group of older kids laughing, the ringleader's eyes cold and challenging. He took a deep breath, reminding himself to stay calm, to keep his secret hidden. He couldn't afford to draw attention to himself. Not here. Not now.

---

Inside the classroom, the teacher, Mrs. Johnson, was writing something on the board that Alex couldn't quite make out. He picked up his books and hurried to his seat, hoping to blend in unnoticed. But as he sat down, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the window. The silver halo around his head, faint but undeniable, glinted in the sunlight. He ducked his head, heart racing. Had anyone else seen it?