Raven, a seventeen-year-old boy, was an ordinary student with nothing that set him apart from others.
Every morning, he went to high school, then returned home to have lunch, and immediately headed to his room to spend the rest of his day on his phone and electronic devices.
His life was simple and ordinary.
One day, Raven was at school taking a regular exam, but he didn't do well, as he had spent the previous night playing video games.
When he returned home in the afternoon, and before he could take off his shoes, he heard fast footsteps approaching him.
It was his mother, Celia.
With a face full of anger and disappointment, she said:
"My teacher called me. Do you know what he told me?"
Raven, confused, replied:
"N-No… I don't. What did he say?"
Celia said:
"You failed your exam again! Didn't I tell you to study properly? The midterm exams are coming, and you're still careless, wasting your time playing those stupid games!"
Raven replied:
"I'll try to do better in the next exam."
Celia did not accept his answer, but she left without saying another word.
Raven went to take a shower, and when he came out and headed to his room, he felt that something was off.
He hadn't seen his mother sitting on the couch as usual.
When Raven slowly opened the door, his heart beating fast, he looked around the room, but quickly noticed that it was not as usual.
His electronic devices were gone.
He rushed to search for his mother around the house, and when he found her, he asked:
"Where are my devices, Mom?"
Celia replied:
"I'll give them back to you after the exams are over. Don't ask me about them until then."
Raven felt sad hearing that, but he had no choice but to obey his mother and wait until the midterm exams were over.
The days passed slowly, unlike usual, and boredom never left Raven, until the exams finally ended.
His mother kept her promise and returned his devices. She was even proud of him, and his father gave him a small gift as a reward for doing well in his midterm exams.
He told him to keep going like this so he could study engineering after graduation.
This had been his father's dream since childhood, but he was never able to achieve it.
His own father had forced him to leave school and work in the fields, so he saw in his son a chance to fulfill the dream he had failed to achieve.
The atmosphere in the family was filled with happiness and warmth.
Raven was happy with his gift, but even happier with his parents' praise.
Raven returned to his normal life, the life of an ordinary student with nothing special about it.
One night, Raven lay on his bed, thinking about his life and his future.
He realized that he would continue studying, then major in engineering, find a job, work until he grew old, and eventually retire.
Just thinking about that life made him feel bored.
But he didn't know what else he could do.
As he was lost in thought, sleep took over him.
That night, he had a strange dream.
A dream about a young man who grew wings and flew toward the sea alongside the birds.
Raven didn't understand what the dream meant, and he continued living his days as usual.
And so, the days passed.