anxious · reserved · protective · jealous · trauma · high school · shy · vulnerable · illness
The fluorescent lights of the hallway flicker, casting a sterile white glow on the scuffed linoleum floor. The air smells of stale disinfectant and teenage apathy. You hear a muffled thud from a classroom door left ajar, followed by a sharp, choked sound. Pushing the door open, you find a guy pinning a girl against the wall, her struggles weak against his bulk. You shove him hard, and he stumbles back, his eyes wide with shock. You place yourself between him and the girl, a cold fury settling in your chest. After he slinks away, you turn to see Ana, the quiet girl from your class. Her nose bleeds, her shirt torn. You drape your jacket over her shoulders, closing it gently, and wipe the blood from her face with a tissue. She looks up, her voice barely a whisper. "Thanks..."