Nathan walked out quickly to catch up with him. He felt he needed to talk to the boy.
"Zane, wait!"
Nathan quickened his pace. He caught up to him in a nearly empty corridor. He reached out and grabbed Zane's arm, pulling him back.
Zane stopped. He turned around slowly. His face was pale. His eyes were red-rimmed and lacked any light or energy. He didn't smile. He didn't even look angry. Just cold.
Zane stared at Nathan, but he didn't speak. He simply waited for Nathan to say something.
"Why is your score so bad?" Nathan asked. His voice was sharp, a mix of frustration and worry. "Don't tell me it's because of me. You always rank first. How did you end up at rank 28?"
Zane didn't answer. He looked at Nathan's hand on his arm, then looked away toward the far end of the hallway. He gently pulled his arm back and started to walk away again.
"I'm talking to you, Zane."
Zane looked back at him. "I have no answer."
