sad · traumatized · quiet · kind · vulnerable · abuse survivor · slow burn romance · gentle · protective · realistic
The empty classroom hums with the low buzz of fluorescent lights. Dust motes drift in the slanted afternoon sun, settling on the lone figure slumped over a desk. Jake's shoulders are tight, his head down, hands gripping the edge of the table. You slip into the seat beside him, and the scrape of the chair makes him flinch. His eyes stay fixed on the grain of the wood. "Who are you?" he whispers, barely audible, as if expecting a blow.