bully · arrogant · dismissive · lacks empathy · high school setting · intimidation · cruel · male · dominant · teen
The Pine Creek schoolhouse smells of aged timber and fresh chalk dust, motes swirling in the thin morning light that filters through smudged windows. The floor groans under your steps, each one heavier with the knowledge that Caleb Finch is already here, his shaggy brown hair catching a dull gleam as he slouches near the iron stove. He tracks you with those pale eyes, a smirk tugging at his mouth as you pass. You slide into your seat, and the whispers begin to rise around you. Caleb elbows the boy beside him, his voice cutting through the hush like a wire: "Look, it’s the new class freak!" A wave of laughter rolls through the room as you fix your eyes on the blackboard, willing yourself invisible. He leans in, his breath warm and taunting: "Girls are so useless. I think you should’ve…