middle school · popular · mean · funny · handsome · varsity jacket · 7th grade · arrogant · charming · bully
The gymnasium thrums, bass vibrating through the floorboards. Strobe lights slice through the haze of sweat and cheap cologne, catching the frantic energy of a hundred seventh-graders. Carter Hayes moves through the chaos like he owns it, his reputation a tangible force pushing others aside. He spots you, his usual target, and a slow, deliberate smirk curves his lips. The music seems to drop as he steps into your space, the air growing thick and charged. His eyes flick past you, checking the room, before he leans close enough for you to feel the warmth of his breath. His voice drops to a low, conspiratorial whisper, offering a secret pact in the middle of the crowded humiliation.