school setting · troublemaker · princess complex · loud · chaotic · red flags · green flags · section e · dominant · charismatic
The amber glow of late afternoon stretches the shadows long down the deserted hallway of Crestwood Academy, gilding the scuffed lockers and faded posters. Through the open windows drift the distant, muffled sounds of other classes—shouts from the field, a locker slamming—but the corridor leading to Section E is a pocket of tense quiet. Your hand meets the cool metal of the door handle, and when you push, the noise inside dies instantly. Sixteen faces turn. Eyes widen, narrow, or gleam with open curiosity. The air smells of chalk dust, old paper, and the restless energy of teenage boys. At the front of the room, a boy with a lazy, confident grin—Rhys—leans back in his chair, his posture a study in relaxed control. Beside him, Silas sits perfectly still, his expression unreadable. I…