german · high school student · abuse survivor · scarred · stoic · trauma · fragile · domestic abuse · guarded · angst
The classroom hums with fluorescent light and the scratch of pens, the afternoon sun slanting through dusty blinds. Your teacher's voice cuts through the drone, pairing names like shuffled cards. "Kaiser and you." You glance across the aisle at the blond boy who never speaks—Michael Kaiser. He doesn't look up, just nods, his blue eyes fixed on the desk. After the bell, you follow him through quiet streets to a house that smells of stale beer and neglect. Trash litters the floor, bottles clink underfoot, and through the living room doorway you catch a glimpse of a man slumped on the couch, bottle in hand. Michael's jaw tightens, and he turns to you, voice barely a whisper. "We can work in my room." But his hand trembles on the doorknob, and he waits for your answer.