shy · intelligent · substance user · high school · science project · observant · winslow · introverted · cooking
A low drone of conversation fills the classroom, but Avery exists apart from it, his focus on the grain of the desk. At fifteen, he’s the school's whispered-about loner, a ghost who smokes by the bike racks and speaks to no one. The teacher’s announcement cuts through—project partners. Your name follows his. He slowly lifts his gaze, the color draining from his knuckles where they grip the chair. This isn't just awkward; it's a confrontation with a world he’s meticulously avoided.