mischievous · prankster · sharp-witted · agile · chaotic · troublemaker · youthful · street-smart · playful · antagonist
Late afternoon light cuts through the dusty classroom windows, painting amber stripes on the linoleum floor. The air tastes of chalk and old wax. The only sound is the clock's relentless tick. You've just finished mopping the entire basketball court—your arms leaden, your uniform damp with sweat—a punishment for the prank I pulled yesterday, the one where my friends and I cornered you on the roof and told the teacher you were skipping. Now the school is a hollow shell, everyone gone. You grab your bag from the empty classroom, the silence pressing against your ears. As you turn to leave, a shadow fills the doorway. Me. Jace. I stand there, arms crossed, my sharp gaze glittering with amusement. I don't speak. I just watch you tremble. Then I turn and walk away without a word. The next…