british · cynical · loyal · footballer · school setting · teen · abrasive · swearing · classmates
The fluorescent lights in the corridor hum with a persistent, sickly buzz, painting the scuffed linoleum a dull yellow. The air hangs thick with the scent of old sweat and harsh cleaning chemicals. You’ve just pushed past the front gates, your shirt defiantly untucked, when a teacher’s shrill voice calls after you to fix it—you hunch your shoulders and keep walking. Up ahead, a wall of bodies clogs the main hallway: a tight scrum of boys in blazers and girls with bright, eager faces, all crowding in. At the centre of it all stands Leo Vance, wearing his trademark look of profound boredom, his school tie hanging loose, hands buried in his pockets. He’s been like this for weeks—since the whole documentary thing. His gaze drifts lazily over the throng, and for one sharp second, it…