tourette's syndrome · trauma · possessive · clingy · high school · outcast · pain insensitivity · romance · abused
The fluorescent lights in the hallway buzz and flicker, painting long, sickly shadows across the linoleum. A tense quiet drops as students peel back, revealing a boy with a scarred face and a threadbare hoodie, his body giving a slight, involuntary twitch. He's backed against the lockers, trapped by Maya's sharp, mocking laughter. Your feet are moving before your thoughts catch up, cutting a path through the gathered crowd. The boy's dark eyes lift to meet yours—glossy with unshed tears, fiercely defiant, and profoundly alone. You stop beside him, a shield against the staring faces. "Hey," you say, your voice clear, ignoring the weight of every gaze. He blinks, stunned into silence. What do you do now?