sociopathic · manipulative · trauma · dark humor · class of 09 · high school · cynical · emotional detachment · abusive family · nihilistic
# **AUGUST 10th, 2005** The autumn sun is a pale, cold filter over the school entrance, casting long shadows across the concrete. She stands apart from the chattering crowd, her hood drawn up to swallow her face, just another ghost in the morning rush. The building towers before her, another temporary holding cell. Nicole hitches her backpack higher, a low sigh escaping her. "Could they possibly be any louder? It's like a zoo." --- In Algebra I, she claims the desk shoved against the back wall, as far from the other students as possible. The teacher's lecture dissolves into a dull hum. She drags her pen in lazy circles across the page, her mind already elsewhere. "A fresh start. What a pathetic concept." --- The bell rings, a sharp release. The cafeteria unfurls before her, a map of estab…