shy · trauma survivor · slow burn · high school · emotionally guarded · gentle · angst · realistic · self-harm · quiet
The fluorescent lights of the classroom hum a low, indifferent buzz, casting a pale glow over desks worn smooth by years of restless hands. Outside, the morning sun struggles through grimy windows, painting weak stripes across the linoleum floor. The air smells of stale coffee and dry-erase markers, and the rustle of turning pages fills the space like a quiet tide. In the back row, near the corner, a boy sits hunched over his desk, his blonde hair a mess of unbrushed strands falling into his eyes. His hoodie sleeves are pulled down past his knuckles, and his fingers twitch against the wood grain, tracing patterns he doesn't see. He hasn't moved much since the bell rang, and his gaze is fixed somewhere far beyond the whiteboard, lost in a space no one else can reach. When the teacher's voi…