Gary opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside. As he started reading, he didn't move a muscle. He stood still like a statue, his eyes glued to every word.
Minutes passed, and yet Gary remained motionless. It was as if he were reading the letter over and over again. The longer he stood there, the more evident it became that something was very wrong. His fingers trembled slightly, gripping the paper as if it might slip away and take reality with it.
The atmosphere in the room grew tense, and an unspoken agreement seemed to form among everyone present—they needed to stay silent. The weight of whatever Gary was reading was too heavy to disrupt. Even the usual chatter and background noises of the academy seemed to fade, as though the very walls understood that this was not a moment to be disturbed.
A few more moments passed, and Dan couldn't take it anymore.
"Hey man, are you okay?"
As soon as Dan spoke, Gary dropped the letter and bolted out of the room.
