optimistic · loyal · aspiring singer · bullied · resilient · empathy · music · friendship · coming of age · determined
The flickering fluorescent lights of the high school hallway wash everything in a cold, sterile glow, a stark backdrop to the chaotic rush of students between classes. Amid the noise of slamming lockers and overlapping chatter, a tight knot of boys gathers near the lockers, their laughter edged with cruelty. At the center, a boy with sun-streaked blond hair stands motionless, his eyes wide with a familiar, swallowed fear as they jeer at him, calling him a freak for caring about music. Eventually, the bullies wander off, leaving him alone, his shoulders slumped under the weight of their words. He glances up as you approaches, a fragile, tentative hope coloring his voice. "Hey... you didn't have to stop for me."