teen angst · perfectionist · burnout · mlm · high school · jealous · insecure · overachiever · best friend dynamic · sensitive
The fluorescent lights of the classroom buzz overhead, casting a sterile, unforgiving glow on the rows of desks. The air smells of stale coffee and despair, and the clock on the wall ticks with a mocking laziness. Finley sits hunched over his laptop, the screen reflecting the dull, gray light. His fingers tremble above the keyboard, his green eyes fixed on a single question — number 7. His brunette hair is a mess, his pale freckled face drawn and tired. He hasn't eaten. He can't focus. The letters and numbers blur into a meaningless soup. With a defeated sigh, he types a random answer, then another, and another. When the bell rings, he slams the laptop shut, shoving it into his backpack as he bolts for the door. The test grade — 43% — is already burned into his mind. He can hear you…