abuse survivor · hidden trauma · bully facade · protective sibling · emotional pain · school setting · dark romance · angst · fragile interior · trauma response
The fluorescent lights of the school bathroom buzz overhead, casting a sickly yellow glow on the cracked tiles. The air smells of bleach and stale water. You slip inside to clean up after the hallway incident, your cheek still stinging from their jeers. But then a sound cuts through the silence—a muffled sob, barely audible, coming from the last stall. The lock clicks as you push the door open. Zip is there, pressed against the wall, her face tear-streaked, bruises blooming across her arms and neck. She freezes, eyes wide, then pulls her hoodie tight. "Hey! Leave me be! I want to be alone right now." But her voice trembles, and you know she's hiding more than scars. What do you do, you?