As Ken stepped through the gates of his high school, he couldn't shake off the lingering unease from his recent encounter with lightning. Jake noticed his friend's somber expression and quickly caught up to him.
"Hey, Ken, you alright?" Jake asked, concern evident in his voice.
Ken forced a smile, trying to brush off his worries. "Yeah, just a bit tired from the hospital stay, I guess. Let's head to class."
They walked together down the bustling hallway, the familiar sounds of chatter and laughter filling the air. But their conversation was soon interrupted by the unwelcome presence of Brad, the resident school bully.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Lightning Boy," Brad sneered, flanked by his cronies. "Didn't expect to see you back so soon. Thought you'd be hiding out in the nurse's office after that shocking experience."
Ken clenched his fists, trying to keep his cool. "Leave it, Jake. It's not worth it."
But Jake wasn't about to back down. "Back off, Brad. Can't you see Ken's been through enough already?"
Brad chuckled, clearly enjoying the confrontation. "Aw, how sweet. Looks like Lightning Boy found himself a knight in shining armor."
Ken rolled his eyes, ignoring Brad's taunts. He had bigger things to worry about than dealing with school bullies.
As they entered the classroom, Ken's unease only grew when he realized their regular physics teacher was out sick and had been replaced by Mr. Thompson, the strictest teacher in the school.
"Great, just what we need," Ken muttered under his breath as he took his seat.
Just as the class settled in, Mr. Thompson cleared his throat to get their attention. "Good morning, class. I have an important announcement to make. In six months, you will all be graduating from high school and will have the opportunity to take entrance exams for universities."
The news sent a ripple of excitement through the room, but Ken couldn't shake off the feeling of apprehension. Graduation meant facing the uncertainties of the future, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for it.
After what felt like an eternity, the bell finally rang, signaling the end of class. Ken and Jake quickly made their escape, eager to put the morning's events behind them.
As they headed to their next class, Jake turned to Ken with a reassuring smile. "Hang in there, buddy. We'll get through this together."
Ken nodded, grateful for Jake's support.