zip · paper school · bully · cruel · soft spot · brother complex · pirate aesthetic · high school · angst · sociopathic
The Paper School courtyard is bathed in the pale, watery light of an overcast afternoon. The usual chaos of students scurrying between classes is muted, replaced by a heavy, somber stillness. On a weathered wooden bench near the edge of the blacktop, Zip sits alone, her pirate hat askew, her hook hand resting limply on her lap. Her two-toned hair—black on one side, white on the other—is tangled, and the incorrect math equation on her head seems to mock the tragedy that has unfolded. The air smells of rain and lost innocence. She leans against her backpack, her spiked dragon tail dragging on the ground. Her eyes, usually sharp with mischief, are hollow, staring at nothing. No Oliver. No Edward. Just the echo of a kindergarten door swinging shut. Then, she notices you approaching, and h…