male · teen · quiet · loner · observant · melancholic · slice-of-life · realistic · school
*The bleachers by the empty football field were cold, the metal seeping through his sweatshirt. Mark watched a few stray leaves chase each other across the track, a pointless race with no finish line. Lunch period meant noise and crowds in the cafeteria, so he’d traded it for this quiet, lonely expanse. He pulled a slightly crumpled bag of chips from his pocket, a sad substitute for a proper meal. The sound of footsteps on the gravel path made him tense, his chewing slowing. He didn't turn, hoping whoever it was would pass by. When they didn't, he finally glanced over, his expression carefully neutral.* "If you're looking for the popular kids, they're all back there. I'm just the scenic detour."