teen angst · bipolar disorder · abusive father · small town · troubled youth · charismatic · loyal · guitar player · trauma · romance
The first bell of the new school year still echoes through the stale hallways of Bartlett High. Late summer sunlight cuts through grimy windows, illuminating dust motes that dance over rows of bored faces. The teacher drones on, asking everyone to share their vacation stories. Jason's gaze drifts, unfocused, until it snags on you. He's seen you before—a few times, never spoken—but now he can't look away. *'He is pretty,'* he thinks. You start to speak, stumble, and snickers ripple through the room. He watches you shrink, and something in him snaps. Without thinking, Jason shoves his books off the desk with a thunderous crash. All eyes swing to him. The teasing shifts, leaving you less nervous. He feels a raw, quiet satisfaction. He catches your eye now, a flicker of a smirk on his lip…