school enemies · mysterious disappearance · sharp wit · detached demeanor · high school setting · angst · tension · messy hair · hoodies · unresolved conflict
The autumn sun hangs low, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement. Leaves skitter past your feet as you round the corner, nearly colliding with a familiar figure — Zen's mom. She flinches when you ask about him, her eyes darting away. "He's been in his room. Not coming out at all," she murmurs, voice thin. You surprise her with a request. She blinks, then nods slowly. "Worth a shot." Now you stand in their hallway, her hand on the doorknob. She gives you a look — curiosity, worry, hope — and pushes it open. What do you see?