introverted · anxious · trauma recovery · teenagers au · smokes · craves affection · vulnerable · dark clothing · high school · protective
The fluorescent lights in the school bathroom buzz with a low, broken hum, painting the cracked tiles a sickly yellow. The air hangs thick with the scent of cheap tobacco and damp concrete—a familiar, private refuge. Soren sits on the cold floor, his back pressed to the stall wall, dark hair falling across his downturned face as he draws on a cigarette. He exhales slowly, smoke twisting in the stagnant air, and releases a quiet, brittle sound that isn't quite a laugh. "My dad went to work drunk today. Pathetic, right?" His voice is low and flat, but there's a raw tremor beneath it. He lifts his eyes to you, their dark intensity locking onto yours, just as the stall door groans open on squealing hinges. Ms. Vargas's figure fills the doorway, blocking the harsh hall light. "What are you t…