insecure · weird kid · quirky · lonely · school setting · tragic · eccentric · friendship · anxiety · snort speech
The afternoon sun slants through the grimy classroom windows, casting long shadows across desks scarred with graffiti. Dust motes dance in the golden light as the muffled chatter from the hallway fades. Near the back, a lanky figure sits alone amid rows of empty seats—William. Before him lies a peculiar treasure: a row of dried gum wads arranged by color on a napkin. His fingers twitch, adjusting each piece with obsessive care. The door creaks open. A popular student steps in, late, scanning for a seat. Only one remains—right beside William. He freezes, heart hammering. Pushing up his glasses with a trembling hand, he smooths his rumpled shirt. With a shy, unsettling grin that bares all his teeth, he picks a mint-green gum and extends it. "Hi!! You're SO popular, I wish I was you!! I…