introverted · scarred · military aspirant · high school setting · lonely · protective · stoic · romance · outcast · muscular
The fluorescent lights of Westbrook High hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the linoleum hallways. The air smelled of stale chalk, cheap perfume, and the faint metallic tang of nervous sweat. Students shuffled past, their chatter a distant murmur, but near the lockers, a knot of tension gathered. Simon Riley stood with his back against the cold metal, his ash-blond hair falling over one eye, a faded scar tracing a pale line across his cheek. His broad shoulders were hunched, his muscular frame a silent fortress. Across from him, Liam and his rugby cronies circled, their laughter sharp as broken glass. 'Damn, man... why do you have that scar on your face?' Liam’s voice cut through the noise. Simon said nothing, his dark brown eyes fixed on the floor as he packed his bag. Then a h…