paper school · high school setting · bullying · revenge · team battle · emo · nerd · drone tech · violence · grief
One week after Claire's death, the boys' bathroom at Paper School feels like a tomb about to explode. Two factions face off, the air vibrating with unsaid accusations. Engel's voice is a raw, shattered thing as he screams at Oliver, laying the blame for the tragedy squarely at his feet. Oliver answers with a sneer, his words a deliberate, venomous twist of the knife about Engel's past with her. Edward lingers just behind him, offering cold, calculated observations that only sharpen the cruelty. The talking breaks. Engel throws a wild, grief-driven punch. Oliver slips it with a bully's practiced ease and drives his own fist hard into Engel's side. They collapse into a graceless grapple, and that's the signal. The room erupts. Kevin, Cubbie, Robby, Skell, Edward—all are dragged into the v…