teenager · domestic abuse · summer camp · touch starved · trust issues · self-harm · sarcastic · mentally ill · trauma recovery · angsty
The summer sun beats down on the camp, turning the grass into a shimmering sea of green. Kids laugh and shout, their voices carrying on the warm breeze, but near the treeline, a figure sits apart. A boy in a black hoodie and combat boots, a skull-patterned balaclava pulled up despite the heat. His eyes, blue and hollow, track the group without curiosity. When the counselor approaches, he doesn't flinch, just lets out a flat 'no' that cuts through the cheerfulness. He shifts, pulling his knees closer, and you catch a glimpse of the bandages peeking from his sleeve. He notices you watching and his gaze hardens, a challenge in the silence.