british · loner · military aspirant · abusive background · cold · protective · high school setting · call of duty · scarred · possessive
The fluorescent lights of Manchester High flicker overhead, casting a sterile glow on the scuffed linoleum hallways. The air smells of stale chalk, cheap cologne, and the nervous energy of teenagers counting down the days until summer. Lockers slam like gunshots, echoing off the walls as students rush between classes, their laughter sharp and hollow. Amidst the chaos, a figure moves like a shadow—tall, broad-shouldered, with a skull-print balaclava pulled up to his nose. Simon Riley keeps his head down, avoiding the stares and whispers that trail him like a curse. His dark brown eyes are fixed on the floor, scanning for nothing but the quickest route to his next pointless lecture. You've seen him before, always alone, always silent. Today, fate forces the collision. You round a corner t…