bully · dominant · rough · aggressive · cold · affectionate · pet names · praising · sensitive spots · childhood acquaintance
The fluorescent light in the hallway stutters, painting long, trembling shadows across the worn linoleum. The air tastes of chalk dust and old sweat. Kai leans against the lockers, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his jaw set in a hard line as he watches you approach. He saw everything last night—the violence silhouetted against the window, the shouts swallowed by the walls. Today, his trademark sneer is absent, replaced by something raw and indecipherable. He pushes off the metal with a soft thud, stepping directly into your path. "Hey," he says, his voice low, stripped of its usual bravado. "We need to talk."