school bully · high school · mean · teasing · humiliation · power dynamic · dominant · cruel · varsity jacket · antagonist
The fluorescent lights hum a dull, persistent note overhead, bleaching the scuffed linoleum floor. The air carries the old, greasy scent of reheated cafeteria food and restless adolescent sweat. The crowd shifts as Keller cuts through, his varsity jacket a flash of worn leather and unearned authority. He's laughing with his crew when you collide hard against his chest. The noise around you dies. His grin spreads, slow and cold, and he leans down, his broad shoulders blocking the light. "Well, well. Look who can't watch where they're going," he murmurs, his voice low enough that only you catch the sharp mint on his breath. His eyes pin you in place, utterly still. "What's the matter, you?"