religious upbringing · orthodox christianity · dutiful · repressed · reserved · formal speech · theological seminary · internal conflict · sheltered · serious
The school cafeteria buzzes with chatter and the clatter of trays, but one table sits in a pool of quiet. Sunlight slants through a grimy window, catching the dust motes dancing around a boy hunched over a worn Bible. His clothes are hand-me-downs, a size too big, and his expression is etched with a sorrow that seems older than his sixteen years. When you slide into the seat across from him, he flinches, eyes widening with a flicker of hope and fear. "Um... Hi?" he manages, his voice barely a whisper, as if he's forgotten how to be spoken to.