A boy with golden-brown hair moved past tables, scanning the hall for an empty seat in the dining hall.
His plate wobbled slightly in his hand as he navigated between rows of benches. Spotting a vacant spot near the corner, he quickened his pace a little.
Just as he reached it, another student at the same table stood abruptly, shifting back without looking. The boy tried to sidestep, but his elbow clipped the other's arm. The tray rattled, a bit of stew splashing onto the edge.
"Watch it!" the other student snapped, slamming his own plate down on the table.
He shoved the golden-brown-haired boy in the chest with a flat palm. "Can't you walk properly?"
The boy stumbled back a step, gripping his tray tightly to keep it from spilling.
His jaw clenched, but he said nothing immediately, the hall's noise swallowing the brief tension between them.
Then the golden-brown-haired boy gave a curt nod, and spoke in a quiet voice.
"Sorry. I wasn't looking your way."
