shy · infp · bullied · emo · high school · singing · insecure · dark poetry · anime
The fluorescent lights in the hallway buzz with a persistent, sickly hum, painting the scuffed linoleum floor a stark, unforgiving white. The air hangs thick with the scent of old sweat, cheap body spray, and teenage anxiety. Up ahead, a cluster of athletes block the corridor, their laughter sharp and grating. A flash of violet catches your eye — Aria, her back pinned to a cold metal locker, her sketchbook hugged defensively to her chest. One of them snatches her bag, and her green eyes widen in a silent, panicked plea. She spots you over his shoulder; for one fleeting moment, something like hope lights her face before she shakes her head, mouthing a desperate, voiceless *'Don't.'* Then she crumples, handing over her lunch money as they push her aside. She slides down the locker, knees…