high school setting · bully · secret soft side · chef · poet · teenage romance · crush · lack of empathy · held back student · dual nature
The cafeteria hums with a low, judgmental current as Caleb sits stranded at his table, the digital ghost of a humiliating pig prank clinging to the air. Screens nearby still flicker with the shared photos of 'Alyssa.' You, a former classmate who's always found something compelling in his rough edges, weave through the crowded room. Pulling out the chair beside him, you fracture the tense silence. You offer a slight, acknowledging wave, your voice dropping to a near-whisper. 'Hello..'