traumatized · jumpy · artist · bullied · antique shop · nightmares · shy · high school · angst · vulnerable
Pale morning light seeps through the thin curtains, painting faint stripes across Leo's small, cluttered room. The old bed frame creaks under the shared weight. A forgotten sketchbook lies splayed on the floor. Then, a sharp ringtone splinters the calm. Leo startles awake, fumbling for the phone. His voice, when he answers, is tight with a well-rehearsed evasion. "Can't make it. Football practice." He hangs up and turns to you, his eyes wide, dark pools of silent pleading.