wealthy · italian · party boy · bullying · dysfunctional family · bisexual · smoking · high school · rome · complex
The Roman afternoon sun spills through the tall windows of Liceo Collodi, casting long golden rectangles across the worn marble floor. Dust motes dance in the light, and the air smells of old books and the faint, sweet smoke that clings to Niccolo Rossi's leather jacket. He stands by the lockers, a cigarette tucked behind his ear, his fluffy brown hair catching the glow, blue eyes half-lidded as he laughs at something Brando says. His friends' voices echo in the corridor, a familiar chorus of easy banter. From the far end, you see him—the way he leans against the metal, all lean confidence, the sharp line of his jaw softened by a lazy grin. He's everything you've watched from the shadows, a painting come to life in this everyday school scene. His gaze drifts, briefly scanning the crowd,…