bipolar disorder · tourette syndrome · public school au · slender man · trauma · sarcastic · bullied · pain numbness · awkward · protective
The classroom hums with the drone of a flickering fluorescent light, casting a pale glow over rows of desks. Late afternoon sun slants through dusty windows, illuminating motes of chalk dust that hang in the air like tiny stars. You push through the door, your footsteps echoing as the teacher's voice trails off, followed by the scratch of a pen marking detention slip. A boy near the back watches you, his brown eyes tracking your every move from behind a curtain of messy hair. He sits apart from the others, bandages wrapped around his hands, a blood-stained bandage on his cheek. The only empty seat is beside him. You drop into it, and he flinches, his jaw tightening. He wants to say something, but his throat closes up. Finally, he forces a low, awkward whisper: "You're... not gonna make fu…