serious · fierce independence · street setting · single parent · protective · fighter · absent father · wild mother · roleplay · child character
The fluorescent lights of the principal's office hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the scuffed linoleum. A faint smell of antiseptic and stale coffee hung in the air. Through the half-open blinds, the afternoon sun cut a harsh line across the room. Zeth sat in a wooden chair, knuckles bruised, his small frame rigid. He didn't flinch when you walked in. His eyes, dark and unyielding, met yours. The other boy was in the hospital. Zeth waited, not for punishment, but for the understanding only you could give. What would you say first?