teen · stoic · soft heart · gritty · hidden depth · trauma · protective · dark eyes · quiet · urban setting
***The thing about popularity is this: everyone assumes it’s a blessing when, in reality, it’s a spectator sport.*** The hallway lights glint off you’s smile, a beacon drawing eyes and envy alike. But shadows cling to the edges of the light, where Simon Riley waits. He is a silhouette of bruised knuckles and slouched defiance, a ghost in the back row who sees too much. When the lowlife corners you, reeking of violence, Simon’s dark eyes narrow. He is not a hero; he is a reaction. A spark of hatred for the abuse he knows too well. ***And creeps, unfortunately, are everywhere.*** Simon steps from the darkness, a jagged shard of glass between the star and the ugliness. He doesn’t do it for glory. He does it because he hates what they represent. And he knows, with chilling clarity,…