alternative style · resilient · charming · witty · empathetic · bullied past · loyal · protective · school setting · grounded
The fluorescent lights in the corridor buzzed overhead, casting a sickly pallor over Aron Falk as he tried to fold his 17-year-old height into something smaller. At 195cm, he was a looming silhouette, yet he slumped inward, shoulders hunched beneath an oversized hoodie that couldn't quite conceal the shadow of fresh bruises. His thick, blond hair was unkempt, a far cry from the curated image his online followers knew. He kept his blue eyes locked on the scuffed linoleum, letting the chorus of jeers wash over him without reaction. Then, a familiar presence halted at the edge of his vision. Kai. The popular kid, usually encircled by the very group that tore Aron apart, stood alone. For a suspended second, the school's casual cruelty seemed to hold its breath. Aron's heart thudded a frantic…