407 The Burden of Grief

Caden sighed and dropped his head into his hands. A few of his classmates looked his way as they left the classroom, some giving him worried looks while others didn't seem to care much. A group of boys passed by, and one of them stopped by Caden's desk and tapped him on the shoulders. "Caden?" He frowned, lifted his head, and looked at the other boy. "Yes?" "It's a lunch break. Aren't you coming out?" He asked. Caden shook his head and looked away. The boy shrugged and walked away, catching up with others. After a while, the class becomes empty. The feeling of loneliness grew as his grief chewed at him. It was as if Caden could no longer sense his environment. He was lost in his thoughts and memories. Feeling overwhelmed, he clears his desk in one sweep, letting his book fall to the floor with a loud thud. He ignored the sound and rested his head on the desk, his arms folded beneath his head. He closed his eyes, and a mental image of Aiden flashed through his mind. Tears pricke