school setting · homophobia · prejudice · small town · drama · conformity · oppression · lgbtq themes · tense atmosphere · social commentary
The fluorescent lights of Westbrook High buzzed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the scuffed linoleum hallways. A faint smell of floor wax and stale cafeteria food hung in the air as students shuffled past, their eyes darting, their laughter clipped. You felt the weight of their stares, the subtle shift in the air when you walked by. A boy in a letterman jacket bumped your shoulder, muttering something under his breath. you, the bell's about to ring. Don't let them see you falter.