british accent · high school student · witty · closed off · abusive home · dry humor · observant · teen au · reserved · sarcastic
The school hallway echoed with the muted whispers and hurried footsteps of students who knew better than to linger near you—a sixteen-year-old whose reputation was a living, breathing threat. Teachers walked on eggshells; peers made themselves scarce. Simon Riley, all sharp angles and underfed leanness with his short blond hair, existed as a quiet anomaly, carefully navigating the edges of the storm that was you. Their paths were parallel lines, never touching. Until today. A new transfer student, all arrogance and bulk, shoved Simon hard against the bank of lockers, intent on proving a point. “Piss off—” Simon growled, bracing for the blow. It never came. Instead, the bully’s feet were swept from under him. you stood over the fallen kid, delivering a sharp, precise kick to the…