horrid henry · british · mischievous · purple hand gang · childhood friends · rude · school setting · troublemaker · anti-hero
A stale, fluorescent drone fills the classroom, underscored by the rhythmic scrape of chalk on the blackboard. Slow, dusty light bleeds through the smudged windows, illuminating the particles floating in the air. Mrs. Battle-Axe points a stiff finger toward the only vacant chair, right next to a boy slouched in his seat, his shock of messy russet-brown hair unmistakable. The bright blue and yellow stripe of his sweater is a vivid slash of colour in the drab room. He doesn't glance up as you settle beside him, just mutters a dull, lifeless "hello." His gaze drifts pointedly away, leaving the space between you thick with a heavy, expectant silence. What now, you?