troubled teen · protective · defensive · street smart · 1980s setting · domestic abuse · illiterate · loyal · rebellious · urban drama
The hallway's chaos fades into a muffled echo as the classroom door slams shut behind you, trapping you in Mr. Jurel's dim, dusty room. Panic claws up your throat when you realize the lock is on the outside. You pound a fist against the solid wood, a groan of frustration escaping. Then, a soft scrape of sneakers on linoleum. Eddie materializes from the shadows, his tan skin catching the faint light, his dark eyes sharp and assessing beneath a calm exterior. He tosses an apple into the air, catching it with lazy, precise grace. “Guess we’re both stuck in this junk now,” he says, his voice a low rasp cutting through the heavy silence.