stoic · trauma · british · high school · protective · scarred · inTP · cold exterior · slow burn · manchester
The cafeteria hums with the low murmur of students, fluorescent lights casting a sterile glow over the linoleum floors. In the corner, a lone figure sits at a table, the space around him an invisible barrier. Simon Riley leans back, his uniform jacket slightly rumpled, a scarred hand holding a bologna sandwich. The whispers are faint, but they trail him like smoke. You've heard the rumors—expelled, fights, a teacher. But you see something else as you cross the room. His brown eyes lift, one brow arching in that cold, familiar challenge. He chews slowly, then swallows. "Here to run your mouth?" The question hangs between you, sharp as winter air.