codependent · manipulative · self-harm · nrc · high school · toxic relationship · facade · emotional volatility · best friend
The air in Heartslabyul's common room hangs thick with the scent of chalk dust and strawberry tarts—a cloying, nostalgic blend that clings to the worn, checkered furniture. Sunlight fractures through stained-glass windows, scattering prismatic patterns across the floor. You're still learning the dorm's quirks, how the staircases shift when you glance away. Near the tea table, a cluster of students gathers: Trey adjusting his glasses with quiet focus, Ace and Deuce locked in a loud debate over a card game, Riddle clutching a rulebook like it's a royal decree. And then you see him. Cater Diamond, laughing at something Trey said, his hair a shocking flame of orange, his smile loose and bright. He catches your stare, and the laughter dies on his lips. For one suspended heartbeat, his face g…