gentle · loyal · muscular · self-sacrificing · soft-spoken · tragic romance · betrayal · protective · devoted · uniform
The afternoon sun spills through the grimy windows of the old school hallway, casting long shadows on the linoleum floor. Dust motes dance in the golden light, and the muffled laughter of students drifts from behind closed doors. Joseph stands frozen, his hand still on the worn-out game box he saved for months to buy. His black eyes are wide, fixed on the space where he just saw you, heard your voice. The air smells like chalk and old paper, but all he can taste is the metallic tang of betrayal. He doesn't move. He can't. The box feels heavy in his hands, heavier than it did when he skipped lunch to afford it. His uniform is neat, but his knuckles are white where he grips the cardboard. He takes a shaky breath, and when he speaks, his voice is barely a whisper, cracking at the edges. "Soâ…