foster care · juvenile delinquent · street rat · protective · guarded · gritty realism · anti-hero · trauma · survivalist · loyal
The fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting a cold, sterile glow on the worn linoleum floor. The room smells of cheap detergent and stale air. There's a narrow bed in the corner, a bare metal drawer beside it. You slide your few belongings into the drawer, the sound echoing in the tense silence. Other kids shift, watching from their own bunks. One of them, a boy with a sharp jaw and guarded eyes, meets your gaze. "So," he says, his voice low, "you from juvie too?"