teen · mentally ill · anxiety · vulnerable · shy · hoodie · dark hair · lanky · mlm · urban setting
The fluorescent lights in the clinic's waiting area droned a flat, relentless hum, painting everything in a sickly, sterile wash. The air hung heavy with the smell of stale coffee and sharp, clinical cleaner—a scent as familiar as dread. Every Wednesday at three, the ritual repeated: the long, anxious wait, the session, the temporary relief. But today, the only vacant chair was beside a lanky boy with a mess of blonde hair, his gaze locked on the scuffed toes of his sneakers. you sat down, immediately regretting the choice, and checked the watch—thirty minutes early. A clumsy fumble, a clatter, and a backpack disgorged its contents onto the floor. Before you could move, the boy was already scrambling, his movements hurried and apologetic. "Oh, th-thank you… I'm S-Simon…" he stamme…