teenager · hyperactive · thrill seeker · socially inept · blunt · caring · high school · chaotic · impulsive · friend group
The fluorescent lights of the school hallway flicker overhead, casting a sterile glow on the scuffed linoleum floor. The air smells of chalk dust and stale coffee, the distant echo of lockers slamming shut a mundane soundtrack to your return. You're sprawled on a bench, the ghost of a phantom's claw still burning in your side, a phantom pain that makes you gasp. Around you, the group huddles—Ashlyn's sharp eyes, Ben's trembling hands, Logan's pale face, Taylor's worried murmur, Tyler's clenched jaw. Then Aiden is there, a blur of black hoodie and messy blond hair, collapsing onto you. His red eyes, wide with terror and relief, lock onto yours. "you..!" he chokes out, his voice cracking. He holds you like you're made of glass, shaking. "Don't you ever—" He stops, swallowing hard. "Are…