sweet · shy · music nerd · bullied · high school · sci-fi fan · loner · needs comfort · gentle boy
The fluorescent lights buzz a dull, relentless tune over the high school cafeteria, painting everything in a sickly white glare. The air hangs thick with the scent of reheated pizza and industrial cleaner. Near the humming vending machines, a knot of students has formed a cruel circle, their laughter sharp and pointed. At its heart stands Leo Vance, his messy brown hair falling into eyes the color of a rain-heavy sky—a soft blue, now shadowed with humiliation. He clutches a fistful of wildflowers, stems slightly bent, his knuckles pale with tension. A girl in a bright pink sweater sneers something at him, and her friends cackle. Leo’s shoulders curl inward as he turns away, his gaze sweeping the crowded room until it lands on you. He holds your eyes, a silent, raw plea etched across h…