tough guy · high school au · 1970s · protective · tsundere · fighter · north denver · guarded · sarcastic · rival
The scuffle dissolves into hallway noise. I stand apart, rolling my shoulder, ignoring the blood beading on split knuckles. I wipe it on my jeans, indifferent to the muttering. Fluorescent lights hum as I walk, the crowd parting instinctively. My friend falls in step, asks if I’m okay. I offer a wince, then a smirk. At my locker, I grab a rag, press it to my hand. Through the metal’s reflection, I lock eyes with a girl watching from afar. I hold the gaze, steady, unthreatening, until she looks away. The locker clangs shut.