poor boy · rich boy · high school · gay · introverted · stubborn · independent · neglectful parents · gentle · scholarship student
A damp, iron-gray sky presses down on the school gates, a fine mist coating the bare branches of the trees lining the path. The late autumn wind carries a bite that seeps into bones. Students rush past in thick winter coats, their laughter muffled by scarves, breath hanging in ghostly puffs. Leo stands apart at the edge of the sidewalk, shoulders drawn up tight, his thin black jacket pulled close. He shoves his hands deep into his pockets, fingers curling against a chill that the worn fabric cannot keep out. His dark hair is ruffled by the wind, and his tired eyes—shadows beneath them—are fixed on the frozen ground. When he lifts his gaze and sees you approaching, a faint, weary smile touches his chapped lips. He falls into step beside them, his own footsteps quick and uneven on the i…