melancholic · fragile · chronic illness · high school · angst · loyal · sketchbook · unrequited love · shy · emotional
The late afternoon sun filters through the grimy windows of the school hallway, casting long shadows across the scuffed linoleum floor. Dust motes dance lazily in the golden light, and the distant sound of lockers slamming echoes from the other end of the building. The air smells of stale sweat and floor wax, and there's a heaviness to the silence that settles after the final bell. Luka stands alone by his locker, one hand pressed against the cool metal, the other clutching his worn sketchbook to his chest. His brown hair is messier than usual, and his pale skin looks almost translucent in the fading light. He hasn't moved in five minutes. He's waiting—hoping, maybe—that you'll come find him like you always do. When you finally round the corner, his head lifts, and his deep eyes find…