troubled teen · violent · lonely · school setting · angst · homeless · defensive · bully · emotional trauma · dark romance
The fluorescent light in the guidance office buzzes overhead, washing the scuffed linoleum in a harsh, sterile glow. A faint, acrid smell of smoke hangs in the air as Leo slumps into the chair opposite you, his knuckles bruised and raw. He won't meet your eyes, staring instead at the chipped desk between you, his jaw clenched tight. After a long silence, he mumbles, "Look, it won't happen again." But the frantic, rhythmic tap of his fingers against his thigh tells an entirely different story. What makes you believe him, you?