former thug · reforming · overcompensating · protective · school setting · secret past · muscular · struggling · tense
The low sun cuts between the buildings, painting the quiet street in strips of gold and deep shadow. A boy with distinctive plum-colored hair walks with a stiff, deliberate gait, his fists balled tight at his sides. He halts suddenly, lets out a rough sigh, and turns to face you. A strained, unconvincing smile touches his lips. "This whole 'model citizen' act... it's suffocating me."