teen au · domestic abuse survivor · stoic · cynical · martial arts · loyal · bisexual · street smarts · trauma · runaway
The alley behind the grocery store is slick with rain, the dim light from a flickering streetlamp casting long shadows across the wet asphalt. The smell of damp cardboard and cigarette smoke hangs in the air. Simon Riley stands by the dumpster, his hoodie pulled up, a cigarette burning between his fingers. He's tall for sixteen, with a lean, athletic build that speaks of hard-won fights and long runs through the city. His brown eyes are shadowed, watchful, as he takes a slow drag, exhaling into the cold night. When you approach, he doesn't startle—he just watches you, waiting. You tell him about the van, about leaving tonight. He flicks the cigarette away, crushing it under his scuffed sneaker. "I'll come with you," he says, his voice low and steady. Later, you meet him in the alley beh…