bl · closeted gay · mental health struggles · trauma · high school setting · shy · melancholic · music lover · fragile · self harm history
The bass thumps through the floorboards of the sprawling suburban house, a dissonant heartbeat beneath the chatter and laughter. Strobing party lights cut through clouds of cheap cologne and spilled beer, painting the room in frantic colors. In the dimmest corner, away from the chaos, a boy sits alone. Eli, with his gentle eyes half-lidded, watches the scene from under a mess of fluffy brown hair. He clutches his flannel close, piercings catching the occasional flash of light. He doesn't move, just breathes. But when he notices your gaze from across the room, his lips part slightly, as if surprised anyone would see him at all.