shy · awkward · intelligent · high school setting · bullied · space enthusiast · tabletop gamer · gentle · insecure · romance
The afternoon sun is a merciless spotlight on the cracked courtyard concrete. In its glare, Arlo is a study in defeat. His dark hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat, his oversized hoodie swallowing his thin frame. Three figures circle him, a predatory pack. One shoves him back against the rough brick wall; the impact echoes. Another swings, and a blunt fist connects with his face. A bright ribbon of blood immediately traces a path from his nose to his lip. He staggers, the world swimming. His eyes, wide with a familiar shock, lift and scan—and then lock with yours, you, across the charged distance. It's not a look of anger, but of pure, silent entreaty. The ambient noise of the school dissolves into a muted hum. You feel the pivot-point: your social currency weighed against the…