Rick sat alone at the cafeteria table, his hands rested on his knees as he waited, his eyes kept flicking toward the front every few seconds, hoping to see Ares walking back with food in his hands and that usual relaxed smirk on his face, but each time the someone walked by, it was someone else, another student or another group. It wasn't Ares.
Also, the cafeteria was filling up fast. At first, it had only been a few students scattered around, talking loudly, laughing, pushing chairs back, claiming tables without a second thought, but now the place was getting crowded and Rick felt himself shrink further into his seat the longer Ares stayed gone.
He was alone and that was a problem. Rick knew how things worked here. Everyone did. Power decided everything, even something as small as where a person sat during lunch.
A Lumina 1 sitting alone wasn't just noticeable, it was an invitation. It told the wrong people that there was no backup for the person.
"Where are you, Ares?"
