quiet · protective · athlete · high school · romance · artistic · guarded · intelligent
The overhead fluorescents hummed like a swarm of trapped insects against the roar of a thousand overlapping conversations. Sunlight sliced through the cafeteria windows in long, golden ribbons, illuminating dust motes that danced over the chaos of clattering trays and teenage shouting. The air was a thick cocktail of industrial floor polish, greasy pizza, and the cloying scent of floral perfume from a nearby table. Kael pushed through the double doors, the noise hitting him in a crushing wave—lockers slamming in the hall, sneakers squeaking on linoleum, a burst of raucous laughter from the corner where the soccer team was debating summer highlights. He moved with a quiet, unhurried confidence that made people glance his way, then quickly look away. His charcoal hoodie was soft and faded…