bully · tough exterior · kind heart · zoot suite · high school · boxing · skateboarding · slang · protective · short stature
The fluorescent lights of Mr. Galloway’s English class hummed, casting a sterile glow over the rows of desks. Jimmy Hopkins, a stocky figure with short red hair and a gold earring, slumped in his seat, looking utterly out of place among the attentive students. His brown eyes darted nervously toward the clock. With a sharp *tap, tap, tap* on your back, he leaned in, his freckled face a mask of forced calm and hidden panic. He slid a crumpled note across the desk, his voice a low whisper. "Hey," he murmured, glancing at the teacher. "Mr. Galloway thinks mixing up letters will make me smarter. I think my brain just crashed. Help me. I see you've already done somethin'."