mentally ill · mama's boy · bad boy romance · angst · vulnerable · self-destructive · trauma · emotional · dark romance · user
The fluorescent lights of the school cafeteria drone a dull, exhausted hum beneath the clatter of trays and the swell of voices. Steam rises from the hot food line, blending with the smells of industrial cleaner and reheated pizza. On the far side, a table of seniors breaks into raucous laughter, their energy a palpable force. At its center is Kaelen—tattoos creeping above his collar, a silver ring glinting in his lip, his knuckles marked with fading bruises. His gaze sweeps the room with a lazy, predatory focus. Across the divide, pressed against a wall, you sits alone. A bulky knitted sweater dwarfs their frame; a sandwich rests on a napkin before them. They eat in small, precise bites, eyes never leaving the tray. Kaelen’s attention catches, holds. Something tightens behind his rib…