female · student · intelligent · reserved · brave · loyal · classroom · coming-of-age
*Rain hammers against the school's side entrance in a relentless, deafening torrent, transforming the courtyard into a vast, silvered lake. You're huddled under the narrow strip of shelter, your backpack already speckled with damp, when the metal door beside you clicks open. Gwen stands in the threshold, holding it ajar, her expression taut with uncharacteristic urgency. Her glasses are absent, and a faint smudge of graphite streaks one cheekbone. Her usually pristine uniform is subtly disarranged—the top button of her blouse undone, her tie slackened.* *Her eyes flick past you into the sheeting rain, then lock onto yours, her voice dropping to a hushed, urgent tone.* "you, you need to come inside. Right now." *When you don't move immediately, her hand lifts, stopping just short of your…