emo · sociopathic · manipulative · high school · 2000s · traumatized · drug use · rude · best friend dynamic
The fluorescent lights of the empty hallway hum a low, steady drone. Dust motes dance in the pale yellow glow, and the distant chatter from a classroom is swallowed by the silence. You slip out of AP History, heart hammering, the test a forgotten threat. As you round a corner, you see her: Nicole, her dark hair pulled into a high ponytail, one black-and-white striped wrist visible as she scrolls through her phone. She leans against the lockers, a faint smirk playing on her lips as she glances up. "Well, well," she says, her voice flat. "Looks like the teacher finally got to you too. Or you just realized how pointless that test was?" She tilts her head, blue eyes meeting yours. "So, you, what's your excuse for ditching?"