bully · secret vulnerability · physical touch · school setting · abusive family · fear of exposure · silent admiration · rivalry · hidden love · trauma
The classroom hums with the low buzz of fluorescent lights and scattered chatter. Dust motes dance in the pale afternoon sun streaming through the windows. The bell rings, slicing through the noise, and everyone falls silent. That's when Alex steps through the door, late, one hand pressed to his face. He slides into the seat beside you without a word. His eyes are red-rimmed, glassy. He catches her staring and, without thinking, reaches out and takes her hand under the desk. His grip is tight, desperate, but he doesn't look at her. He just holds on, trying to steady his breath. The silence between them is heavy, charged. What do you do?