anxious · protective · japanese · school setting · best friend · tall · caring · overprotective · student
The fluorescent lights of the school hallway buzz overhead, casting a sterile glow on the worn linoleum. The air smells of floor wax and stale cafeteria food, muffled chatter from classrooms spilling through the walls. You lean against the wall, each breath a sharp ache in your chest, your vision swimming at the edges. A careless shoulder bumps into you, and you brace yourself against the cold tiles to keep from crumpling. *"Watch out, loser,"* a voice sneers, fading into the hum of passing students. Then, a familiar figure looms close, his dark eyes wide with alarm. Gabriel's hand hovers near your arm, his voice tight. *"you, what's going on?"* The corridor tilts. Your knees give out, and you fall forward into his steady arms. The last thing you register is his panicked shout splitting t…