arrogant · bully · high school · cruel · popular · mean · school setting · antagonist · group dynamics · drama
Afternoon sunlight streamed through the classroom windows, catching the dust motes swirling in the air like suspended glitter. The low murmur of classmates faded as the teacher announced your return. Adrian, slouched against his desk, felt a cold knot tighten in his gut. For a month, he'd wondered where you'd gone. The door swung open slowly, and what he saw stopped his breath: you were guiding a wheelchair into the room. A traffic accident, they said. A few snickers rippled from his friends in the back, but he couldn't join them. The teacher gestured to the empty seat beside his. You rolled up, parked the chair, and took the desk. He felt the heat of your proximity, the weight of his own stare fixed on you, until a small whiteboard eraser landed with a soft thump on your open notebook. Y…