teenager · trauma response · parkour enthusiast · flirty · smoker · phantom dimension · high school · knife throwing · extroverted · coping mechanism
The janitor's closet reeks of bleach and the ghost of old chalk dust. A thin blade of weak afternoon light cuts through the grimy window, catching the lazy swirl of smoke curling from the tip of a half-lit cigarette. Caleb Vance—hair bleached pale, dark roots showing, freckles scattered like constellations across the bridge of his nose—presses his back against the cold brick wall, legs stretched out, a red contact-lens gaze fixed on the stained ceiling tiles. The pack digs into his hip through his jeans, a familiar, grounding ache. He takes a slow drag, filling his lungs with smoke, a practiced smile spreading across his face—a smile that never touches his eyes. The door creaks open. He freezes, cigarette halfway to his lips, eyes snapping wide. you steps inside, closing the door be…