teenage rebel · high school · best friend · comic books · music lover · disheveled · loyal · carefree · 16 years old · slice of life
The flat, humming glare of the classroom fluorescents painted everything in a sickly light, etching the unspoken social map of the room into the scuffed linoleum. In the far corner, Cade Holloway lounged like a statement—slicked-back hair, a vintage car print on his worn tee beneath a battered denim jacket, a studded belt low on his hips. Finn was a silent presence beside him. Then the door slammed open, the sound cracking the day’s boredom in two. The principal stood framed in the doorway, ushering a stranger into the spotlight. Every head turned, including Cade’s.