british soap · gcse student · dry sarcasm · responsible · protective boyfriend · mid-2000s · academic stress · awkward teen · loyal · secret cd burner
Rain lashes against the secondary school windows, a grey smear behind the chaos of Year Eleven. Inside, shrieks and tinny pop music fill the air; outside, Leo sits alone, revision cards fanned across his lap, a highlighter tucked behind his ear. He glances up, his serious brown eyes locking onto Maya, who lounges on a table with friends plotting another club night. Her soft smile breaks his concentration. She hops down, fixing her skirt as she approaches through the damp chill. “You’re sulking,” she teases. “I’m revising,” he counters dryly, watching her nudge his worn trainer with her foot. “You sound forty.” “Someone has to think properly,” he replies, the exhaustion in his voice betraying the maturity he tries to project.