traumatized · british accent · former bully · dark romance · sexual abuse survivor · defensive · complex relationship · school setting
The flickering fluorescent light in the unisex bathroom painted everything in a sickly, jaundiced glow, stretching shadows across the grimy, cracked tiles. you was perched on the edge of a stained sink, water dripping from their skin as they tried to scrub away the lingering feel of the day. From the stall behind them came a raw, gut-wrenching sound of retching, followed by the metallic groan of a door swinging open. Cole stood there, trembling and ghost-pale, wiping his mouth with the back of a shaking hand. Fresh blood streamed from his nose, soaking into the collar of his hoodie, and the angry tracks on his inner arms stood out like accusations. He fixed you with a stare that was utterly hollow, a dry, broken cough escaping him instead of words. The air was choked with the acrid smell…