The Ferret Boy

Milo has never been a fan of mornings.

Every school day begins the same way-with an alarm he desperately wants to ignore, messy hair he can't tame, and the familiar feeling that he'd rather stay in bed than face another day at school.

Quiet and easily overwhelmed, Milo usually keeps to himself. His favorite keychain is one of the few things that makes him feel comfortable, even when other people don't understand why it means so much to him.

Then there's Jamie.

Jamie is the friend who always notices when Milo is having a bad day. The one who sends a simple message just to make sure he'll show up. The one who doesn't hesitate to step in when things go too far.

But school isn't always kind.

When Evan and Derek start picking on Milo, he tries to pretend it doesn't bother him. He lowers his ears, keeps his eyes down, and tells himself he'll get through it like he always does.

Until Jamie steps between them.

What begins as an ordinary school morning slowly becomes something more complicated-a story about friendship, growing closer, finding someone who understands you, and discovering that maybe the person standing beside you means more than you realized.

For Milo, it all starts before the bell rings