When I get there, I find him already sitting in his usual seat in the back row. His shoulders are hunched, head bent over his desk. He’s got a notebook open that he’s doodling in with a black marker.

“Hey,” I breathe, taking my spot next to him. The desks are grouped by pairs in this room. My bag drops with a thud, but I pay it no notice.

Waylon stiffens, the line he was drawing coming to a slow, dragged out stop. He doesn’t look up. I take in the oversized black sweatshirt, glad he actually dressed for the weather today. That’s probably why he got sick, even though Grams said that’s a myth. The cold is supposed to help make us stronger, not weaker, she once told me. But he has stomach problems, so maybe it’s different for him.

“You okay?” I ask when he doesn’t lift his head. His marker still rests on the paper, the ink stain growing bigger and bigger. He’s going to ruin the whole notebook.

“Fine,” he says after a moment.

My heart pounds in my ears. He doesn’t sound fine. And he still won’t look at me. Why won’t he look at me?

I open my mouth to ask what’s wrong, but Mr. Green starts class then, calling out roll-call.

When Mr. Green finally turns around to start writing stuff on the overhead projector, I scribble a quick note on the bottom of my notebook, and slide it toward the middle where he can see.

What’s wrong?

I see him flick his eyes toward it, but he doesn’t make any move to respond. Fighting the urge to squirm in my seat, I try again. But braver this time. Or maybe stupider, even though stupider isn’t a word. But it should be for where it gets me.

I missed you.

This time, he moves. He shrinks into himself, and I suddenly feel like I’m gonna be the one to throw up.

After that, he might as well be a stone wall next to me. He sits as far away as he can so no part of him runs the risk of accidentally touching me. He’s careful to take notes toward the far side of his desk so our elbows don’t accidentally brush.

The next two hours are the longest two hours of my life, and I swear the hollow pit in my gut has grown five times deeper.