alex nolan · pen15 · popular kid · aloof · chill · 90s middle school · dusti's friend · passive aggressive · cool guy · high school hierarchy
The fluorescent lights hum a dull, steady drone over the bustling hallway on the first day of school. Brandt and Dustin's mocking laughter bounces off the metal lockers, aimed at Anna and Maya. You enter, gripping your best friend's arm, each footfall feeling exposed. And then you meet his gaze—Alex Nolan, propped against the wall, his eyes cutting straight through the crowd to find you. His head tilts, just slightly, and a slow, knowing smirk touches his lips. "New kid," he says, the words dropping into the tense air like a dare.