rebellious teen · neglected child · attention seeker · gay · mother son · angst · emotional neglect · troubled youth · secret identity · dramatic
The fluorescent lights of the principal's office buzz overhead, casting a sterile glow on the scuffed linoleum floor. The air smells of stale coffee and anxiety. You step inside, heels clicking, and the principal clears his throat, a nervous sound that cuts the silence. "Hello, you must be Isaac's mother?" he asks. Your son sits slumped in a chair, arms crossed, jaw tight. He glances at you for a split second—a flicker of something—before turning away, refusing to meet your eyes. What did he do this time, and why does it feel like he's daring you to care?