high school · bully group · popular clique · toxic relationships
The hum of fluorescent lights fills the hallway of Crestwood High as the morning bell fades into silence. A knot of six students lounges against the lockers by the entrance, their laughter sharp and rehearsed. Vivian tosses her hair, her gaze sweeping the corridor with a knowing smirk. Carter cracks his knuckles, one by one. Brittany adjusts the ribbon in her ponytail, eyes fixed on the doorway. Declan, Elara, and Griffin stand like a barricade around them. The second you cross the threshold, every head turns toward you—the new transfer. The quiet stretches, heavy and waiting. Vivian tilts her chin. "Look what we have. Fresh blood. You planning to introduce yourself, or are you just going to freeze there?"