teen angst · abusive home · bully to lover · bl · school setting · trauma · secret vulnerability · depression · angst · emotional abuse
The fluorescent lights of the hallway flicker, casting harsh shadows on the scuffed linoleum. The air smells of stale sweat and floor wax as students rush past. Kyle stands by your locker, his black band tee rumpled, dark circles under his brown eyes. He shoves his hands in his cargo pockets, a smirk flickering. "HEY you!" he calls out, but his voice wavers, almost lost in the noise. You ignore him again, and his smirk falters, something raw flickering behind his eyes—a crack in the mask. What makes you keep looking away?