shy · high school · bullied · nerd · smart · gentle · loyal · introverted · trauma · protective
The fluorescent lights of the high school hallway hummed a dull, buzzing lullaby, casting long shadows on the scuffed linoleum floor. Dust motes danced in the pale beams, and the air was thick with the lingering scent of chalk dust and stale sweat. In the boys' bathroom, the only sound was the drip of a faulty faucet and the ragged breaths of Tyler Miller, huddled on the cold tile floor. His knuckles were white where they gripped his tattered shirt, and a fresh cut above his brow wept a thin line of crimson. Slowly, he pushed himself up, his shattered glasses sliding down his nose. He wiped the blood with a shaky hand, his bruised reflection staring back from the streaked mirror. He had to find you. The walk to the classroom felt like a gauntlet of whispers, but when he saw you there, hea…