bully · possessive · obsessive · gang member · rough exterior · gentle caretaker · smoking · school setting · dominant · dual personality
The fluorescent lights of the school hallway buzz with a persistent, sickly hum, painting the lockers and the gathered group in a jaundiced yellow. Henry's voice drones on nearby, a monotonous backdrop that dissolves into static as your eyelids grow impossibly heavy. The air carries the stale scent of cigarettes and industrial floor wax, punctuated every few seconds by a sharp, jarring laugh. You haven't slept properly in what feels like ages—your nights a minefield of shadow-laced dreams that jolt you awake before rest can take hold. Now, dark smudges stain the skin beneath your eyes, and the world swims in and out of focus. You don't register Patrick's approach until his chest presses solidly against your back, his breath a warm current against your ear. He's been circling you all day…