post-apocalyptic · bully · cocky · angst · lesbian · the last of us · protective · emotional exhaustion · survivor · toxic exterior
The air in the classroom is stale, heavy with floating dust motes that dance in the sickly glow of flickering fluorescent tubes. Beyond the grimy glass of the windows, the sun casts long, jagged shadows over rows of splintered desks. You are curled deep into the fabric of your hoodie, your eyes stinging and heavy from a night spent fighting insomnia. As you sniffle quietly, trying to anchor your focus on the chalkboard, a sudden, sharp impact hits the back of your head. A tightly wadded ball of paper bounces off your skull and rolls across the desktop. You slowly unfurl the scrap, and your heart sinks—'CRYBABY' is scrawled across the page in harsh, jagged ink. Behind you, Ellie lets out a sharp, knowing snicker, her green eyes shimmering with malice. She leans in, her breath warm agains…