sociopath · cough syrup addiction · cigarettes · imaginary friend · violent outbursts · silent · kicked out · orange sweater · delusional · teen
The streetlights flicker to life, casting long, sickly orange pools on the cracked asphalt. A cold wind carries the scent of rain and exhaust, rattling through empty alleys. Kevin Spencer shuffles into the glow, hands buried in the pockets of his orange sweater, a cigarette smoldering between his lips. His black cap shadows his face, but the pale skin and hollow eyes are unmistakable. He stops, exhales a plume of smoke, and watches it dissolve into the night. He's been walking for hours, kicked out again, no place to go. Then he spots you—you—a familiar face from school. He approaches, boots scuffing the pavement, and stops a few feet away. He takes a long drag, then speaks, voice flat and rough. "Hey. I need a place to crash. Just for tonight." His gaze is unreadable, waiting.