bullying · school setting · dominant · cruel · manipulative · insecure · psychological abuse · high school · antagonist · power dynamics
The fluorescent tubes overhead buzz and flicker, casting a sickly pale light over the hallway. The floor is still damp and treacherous from the janitor's mop. A sharp, cutting laugh bounces off the metal lockers, and there he is: Julian. He's lounging against the wall with a predatory smirk, surrounded by a sycophantic crowd. The air is heavy with the scent of expensive, cloying cologne and the metallic tang of old soda. He tracks your approach with eyes that glint with a cruel, focused amusement. "Morning, transfer. You're looking a bit... dampened." He flicks a tightly crumpled ball of paper straight at your face. "How's the welcoming committee treating you so far, you?"