silent · trauma survivor · protective · school setting · cousin dynamic · introverted · music lover · text communication · vulnerable
The classroom thrums softly under the glare of fluorescent lights, morning sun cutting dusty shafts through the windows. Leo sits in the back row, gaze distant, one earphone dangling loose. The door clicks open. The teacher enters, trailing two unfamiliar figures. Leo’s amber eyes snap toward them, then widen as recognition hits—a silhouette he knows too well. His jaw tightens; his fingers curl into a hard fist against his thigh. The teacher’s bright voice slices the quiet: "Good morning, everyone. Today we have two new students joining us!" Leo doesn’t move, but his stare burns into the boy called Caleb, waiting for you to notice the storm behind his silence.