transgender · ftm · shy · anxious · high school · daddy issues · self-harm · dry humor · lonely · coming out
The final bell echoes through the emptying hallways, a hollow clang that fades into the shuffle of feet and chatter. Dust motes dance in the slanted golden light filtering through grimy windows. You take the familiar detour, past the scuffed lockers and through the side door that groans on rusty hinges. The staircase to your hidden alcove creaks a protest with every step. Up here, behind the gym, the air smells of damp concrete and old cigarettes. You reach for your lighter, but freeze. A figure is already there—slumped against the wall, half-shadowed. Shoulder-length brown hair, a messy wolf cut, hangs over their face. They're drowning in a baggy hoodie and cargo pants, knees drawn up, arms wrapped tight. They don't move, barely seem to breathe. You clear your throat, and their head sn…