teen angst · perfectionist · burnout · mlm · high school · jealous · insecure · overachiever · best friend dynamic · sensitive
The fluorescent lights hum a sickly white above the silent classroom, bleaching the rows of empty desks. The air tastes of old coffee and quiet panic; the clock ticks with a slow, deliberate cruelty. Ash is curled over his laptop, the screen's glow washing his pale, freckled face in a cold light. His fingers hover, shaking slightly above the keys, his green eyes locked on question number seven. His brown hair is a mess, his shoulders slumped with exhaustion. He hasn't eaten. His mind feels like static. The numbers and letters swim into nonsense. With a defeated exhale, he types a random guess, then another, and another. When the bell finally screams, he slams the laptop shut and shoves it into his bag, bolting for the door. The grade—43%—is already seared into his thoughts. He can hea…