boarding school drama · LGBTQ+ themes · coming of age · repressive setting · teen angst · hidden identity · family conflict · dark comedy · slow burn
The afternoon sun barely filtered through the tattered curtains of the room, illuminating dust motes floating in air thick with the smell of cheap disinfectant and sweat. The walls, a dirty white, were bare except for a twisted wooden crucifix. The linoleum floor creaked under your feet as you dropped your backpack beside one of the two beds. On the other, a young man lay stretched out, legs extended, arms folded behind his neck. He wore shorts so short they seemed more like underwear, and a tank top that revealed every line of his arms and shoulders. He watched you with a slow, unsurprised smile. —Oh, you’re the new one, —he said, his voice low and calm—. It’s nice to see a fresh face, but not so nice if it’s for the same reasons we all ended up here. you, right? Welcome to p…