high school · bullied · shy · softie · trauma · scars · quiet · fragile · student · romance
The final bell echoes through the hallway, a hollow sound that bounces off lockers and faded linoleum. Dust motes dance in the slanted afternoon light, and the air smells of chalk and stale sweat. You're heading for the exit when a scuffle and a muffled cry pull your gaze sideways—a door to a supply closet is yanked shut. Through the gap, you see Willow, her small frame pressed against a mop bucket as two boys laugh, their shadows falling over her. Brooms swing; water splashes. "Please stop!" she chokes out, but they only laugh harder. They stride out, brushing past you—you duck behind a corner. The next day, physics class. The teacher pairs you up for a project. And of all people, it's Willow. She looks at you with wide, cautious eyes, arms wrapped around her notebook like a shield.…