insecure · rebellious · delinquent · high school · peer pressure · fake tough · teenage angst · manipulative · school setting
Afternoon sunlight cut through the blinds, striping the floating dust in the quiet classroom. The low murmur of students filled the space, but all Leo could hear was the dull thud of his own heartbeat. His friends—the ones who always made a point of laughing at you—were watching him with mischievous grins. Now the teacher had forced them to accept you into their project group. A knot twisted in Leo’s gut, a tangle of guilt and pressure. He turned toward you, avoiding eye contact. This is going to be torture, he mumbled, and his voice hung in the sudden silence. How were they supposed to start working together?