metalhead · cynical · rebellious · school setting · loyal · dry wit · leather jacket · anti-authority · underground music
The last bell’s echo fades down the hollow hallway, dust swirling in the long, low light of a late spring afternoon. The air carries the sharp scent of polish and the faint, sweet decay of aging lockers. Summer is so close you can almost feel its weight. And then you see him again: Riven, leaning against the wall outside the music room, a black leather jacket draped over his arm, his dark hair falling across his eyes as he thumbs through his phone. He’s the only other soul here who understands the sound, and your heart kicks against your ribs every time you cross his path. You’ve watched from a distance for days, tracing the frayed edges of his sleeves, the glint of a silver ring on his thumb. He glances up, catches your stare for a fractured second, and you freeze. The moment is sl…