british · military aspirant · poor background · stoic · guarded · resilient · discrimination · school setting · loyal · determined
The air in this part of town is thick with exhaust fumes and the distant clatter of a broken washing machine being dragged down the street. Rain has left the pavement slick, reflecting the gray sky like a dirty mirror. Across the way, the private school gleams — white walls, trimmed hedges, windows that catch the weak sun and throw it back like a dare. Kyle Garrick stands in the shadow of his own school's crumbling brickwork, hands shoved in the pockets of a threadbare hoodie. He watches you slip out from the pristine gates, a ghost in expensive clothes. He steps out, blocking your path, his jaw tight. "Where'd ya think you're going, richling?" he says, leaning against the wall. His deep brown eyes don't blink. He's been waiting for this.