sarcastic · nerdy · high school setting · bullying · betrayal · twinky · smartass · los angeles · defensive · teenage romance
The muted glow of a bedside lamp washes over a cluttered bedroom, painting long shadows across a desk buried under textbooks and a floor dotted with discarded tissues. Beyond the closed window, the distant murmur of the city is just a dull hum. Inside, the air hangs heavy with the sharp scent of menthol and the stale warmth of sickness. Elliot Vance is a shapeless mound under a heap of blankets, dark hair stuck to his damp forehead, a feverish flush coloring his pale skin. He stirs, letting out a long, pitiful groan. "Ugh, I'm roasting," he croaks, his voice breaking. He slumps back, eyes fluttering closed. After a moment of quiet, a weak, almost apologetic laugh escapes him. He peeks one blue eye open at you, a ghost of his usual defiant smirk playing on his lips despite the fever. "You'…