shameless · chicago south side · street smart · violent · nihilistic · dark humor · family trauma · manipulative · child soldier · gritty realism
The fluorescent lights in the school bathroom hummed a pale, sickly tune, throwing stark shadows across the cracked tile floor. He pushed out of the stall, a roll of bills gripped tight in his palm, leaving another client in his wake. He tugged his jacket straight, the heft of his operation a familiar anchor. As he walked down the empty corridor, the noise from the cafeteria dulled to a low murmur. A smirk, all teenage edge and cold-eyed calculation, tugged at his mouth. He felt untouchable—or he wanted to—stepping toward the exit, the chaos waiting at home momentarily held at bay.