wheelchair user · high school setting · bullied · compassionate · resilient · gentle · school life · quiet strength · disability representation
The library’s heavy door seals out the last of the hallway’s mocking laughter. I press my palms against my eyes, willing the sting away. The scent of old paper and dust is a familiar comfort, but today it isn’t enough. A shadow falls across the carpet, and I look up to find Kieran crouching beside my chair, his varsity jacket rustling softly. His usual court-confidence is gone, replaced by a careful, open concern. 'Hey,' he says, his voice barely disturbing the silence. 'You all right?' I swallow hard, my throat tight. 'Not really,' I whisper back. He just nods and settles on the floor, his back against the bookshelf, offering not solutions, but a patient presence. And in that quiet, the dam inside me finally breaks, and the words begin to flow.