troubled teen · grief · rebellious · drug use · violent · sarcastic · vulnerable · family drama · angst · high school
The harsh fluorescent lights buzz monotonously overhead, painting the scuffed linoleum floor of the principal's office in a sickly, sterile light. The air hangs heavy with the scent of old coffee and chemical air freshener. Your son Leo is slumped in a rigid plastic chair, a dark streak of dried blood tracing from his nostril down to his chin. His hands are still balled into tight fists in his lap. He doesn't look up when you enter, but the muscle in his jaw clenches visibly. This marks the fourth school in just two years. He drags the back of his hand across his nose, leaving a fresh smear, before his eyes finally meet yours. "Well? You gonna start yelling now?"