Yes. He needs a nap.

By the time he reached the parking lot, Mason was feeling a little better. Sure that was weird, but Ms. Bailey probably wouldn't hold a grudge over something guys couldn't really control. Especially given that he was still technically a teenager. And even if things were going to be weird between them from now on, it would only really matter for a few more months. After that, he would graduate and the two would never have to see each other unless they wanted to.

Most of the spaces were empty when he got outside. That wasn't surprising. Every student with a car usually bolted as soon as possible. So there were no cars within a hundred feet of Yumi's red Fiat. It was a pretty recent model, only a few years old. Mr. and Mrs. Kamiya had given it to their daughter for her eighteenth birthday. It was a far nicer car than most teenagers got for their first. But Mr. Kamiya was an international investment banker, and Yumi was an only child.

But never let it be said that Yumi was selfish or that she didn't understand that she was lucky. The day after her birthday party she offered to give Mason a ride to school and back for the rest of their senior year. And he agreed readily. Behemoths like him didn't really fit on school buses. Though as he walked up to his tiny friend's tiny car, he had to admit the Fiat was only marginally better.

When he got close Yumi spotted him and waved cheerfully. She popped the trunk for him and he deposited his backpack next to her's. After that, he opened the passenger side door and squeezed into the leather seat, grateful it was still adjusted from this morning.

As she drove them, Yumi started to chat with him. She seemed worried about him. After all their years together she read him like a book. But Mason also knew how to deflect her questions. He told her the truth. He was tired. And that was definitely true. He hadn't slept in over thirty-six hours at this point. And Ms. Bailey's teasing had been surprisingly exhausting.

But while his childhood friend seemed satisfied with his explanation, she didn’t seem satisfied with his mood. So during the short ride, she made it her mission to try and cheer him up. She gushed about some new manga she found, discussed some strategies their guild could use in the next raid, and tried to gauge his reaction to a new movie trailer. It was a pretty one-sided conversation, but it did actually cheer him up. Yumi’s voice was a nice representation of who she was as a person. It was small and quiet around basically everyone but him. When they were alone though, it was much more expressive. It was still sweet and treble with only the subtlest touch of her parent’s accent.

By the time Yumi pulled into the Kamiya family’s driveway, Mason was feeling pretty good.

"Did you want to come inside?" Yumi asked, puppy dog eyes looking up at Mason through her glasses. "I could make some coffee."

It was tempting. Hanging out together always was. But right now he couldn't. He was too tired. And had too much on his mind.

"I'm sorry. I think I just need a nap." He said as earnestly as he could.

"Ok," He felt bad. She sounded so disappointed. "Text me when you wake up?"

Mason promised he would and walked towards his house. As he did he checked his phone. It was really just a reflex. To check the time and turn his ringer back on. But he also checked Luxuria. And weirdly he noticed a change. He, or rather his targets, had gained silver. His childhood friend had gained a paltry twelve silver coins. But his teacher had somehow gained a whopping two hundred.

He wondered why that was, but couldn't think. He was dead on his feet.

Mason shuffled through the front door of his house. He knew he had to keep moving. He suppressed a yawn, as he said a quick hello to his mom. Tegan was sitting on the old couch in the living room reading, or probably rereading, some paperback novel.

He dragged himself up the stairs to his room. Only a second after he shut the door, he dropped his bag unceremoniously to the ground and collapsed on the bed. He could not be bothered to take off his clothes or even his glasses. In fact, the very second his head hit the pillow he was out like a light.