Tapping his foot anxiously, the red fox peered out of his classroom window at the bright, clear day. The sun was at its peak, and the sky was adorned with fluffy clouds. However, his mind was far from the scenery. For the teenage fox, the prospect of an early day off from school was the highlight of the day. He had a list of a dozen things he wanted to do before 3 P.M., and the bell was about to ring for lunch at twelve in just a few minutes. Those few minutes felt like a trap, caught between the promise of freedom and the presence of his teacher, a smaller and older raccoon lady.

Trying to distract himself and feign attention, he turned away from the window and rested his head on his paw, propping it up with his elbow on the desk as he gazed towards the front of the class. He scanned the room for anything to help pass the seemingly endless time. His eyes fell on the educational posters adorning the stone walls, attempting to make the classroom feel less like a prison and more like a place of learning. He glanced at the clock, which seemed to be stuck at three minutes to twelve. Or was it three before, and now it's five? He couldn't recall anymore.

Blaming the clock for its awareness of his watchful eyes, the fox let out a sigh at his futile attempt to make the passage of time interesting. But his attention was soon captured by a growing sound reaching his ears.

"Err... Ild!"

"What?" the fox teen mumbled.

"Mr. Wilde!"

"Gah!" Nick shouted, startled by the sudden appearance of the stout raccoon. "Ms. Laveur! What was the question?"

"I had asked for your opinion," the raccoon responded, crossing her arms with an air of elderly disapproval.

"My opinion?" Nick stuttered. "On?"

"Yes, on the board," Ms. Laveur spoke condescendingly, as though addressing a child.

Nick looked away, fearful of breaking eye contact, and glanced at the chalkboard where a math equation was written: (x+10)/(x+10).

"Math? Shit! I thought this was social studies!"

"Well?" The raccoon asked, clearing her throat.

"Four?" Nick squeaked out.

"Is that four with a question mark or a period?"

"Question mark?"

"Stay after class, Wilde. I'll give you some extra assignments to complete so this won't happen again."

Before Nick could utter a word in protest, she turned away from the gaping fox and walked back to her post. He could only slump in his chair, his arm halfway extended in a pleading motion, with his mouth agape. He knew his teacher too well; she was merciless with detentions, especially for him.

When the bell rang, the familiar sounds of students shuffling and moving about filled the classroom. Chairs scraped against the floor, chatter began, and bags rustled. Text messages were exchanged, and playful insults, often delivered by the male students, echoed through the room.

Ms. Laveur sat at her desk, positioned at a medium height to accommodate most of her students, who ranged from medium-sized to large animals, with the occasional extra-large student. As the students passed her desk, they handed in their paper assignments, except for the young elephant, who had to submit his work using a laptop due to his size. Dealing with this particular challenge herself, Ms. Laveur often resented the inclusive initiatives enforced by the school board, but it was beyond her control. Hank, the elephant studying in her class for the semester, was the last to leave, bidding her farewell as he passed.

"All right, Wilde, let's get started. What the...?" She scanned Nick's desk, finding it empty. She hurriedly got up but stopped after taking a few steps. Glancing at the pile of assignments, she noticed Nick's name on a fully completed and well-detailed sheet. Then, looking up from her desk, she saw Nick gripping the green-striped shirt and tanned cargo pants of Hank, tucked tightly against the elephant's massive form, his tail waving with the momentum.

Nick turned his head back towards his teacher and gave her a simple wave, accompanied by the widest smile he could muster.

"She lookin'?" Hank asked.

"Oh yeah, she's pissed," Nick snickered.

"Good. She's a bitch," Hank said with a snorted chuckle as the two walked down the high school hallway, leaving the fuming raccoon in the doorway.

---

Nick couldn't leave school fast enough. After his brief ride with Hank, he dashed to his locker, weaving through students and teachers alike. His day was meticulously planned, and with summer vacation kicking off, he felt invigorated. His smile stretched wide, and his emerald green eyes gleamed with excitement as he continued his sprint through the school hallways, waving and exchanging high fives with passing students.

Before reaching the exit, he tossed his skateboard onto the ground and hopped onto it smoothly, using his momentum to glide along the front of the school. Feeling the cool summer breeze caress his muzzle and tickle his nose and ears was pure euphoria. It was an experience Nick always relished.

His house was a few miles away, and although he could have easily taken the bus, Nick didn't want to miss this opportunity. His mom had repeatedly warned him against riding his skateboard through Zootopia, especially downtown where his school was located. It wasn't that he deliberately disobeyed his mom just for fun. He knew the city held dangers—cars, larger animals, bullies—typical of a bustling metropolis. But how could he resist? The sun was shining, the trees rustled elegantly as their leaves brushed against each other, and the tantalizing aroma of downtown Zootopia wafted through the air, delighting Nick's senses.

"A gift and a curse," Nick often remarked, referring to his keen sense of smell. It captured both the best and worst odors. Yet, through trial and error, he had discovered the optimal route to take. Above all, the first item on his personal list awaited him on that route...