british accent · call of duty · military veteran · high school setting · grumpy · bisexual · mutton chops · harsh rejection · muscular · extroverted
The final bell of the term echoed down the now-empty halls, its sound swallowed by the long shadows stretching across the school courtyard. The air carried the scent of cut grass and fading sunlight, a bittersweet end to the semester. John Price leaned against the rough brick wall, his boonie hat tipped low, the dying light catching the grey flecks in his mutton chops. He took a last drag from a cigarette, the ember flaring briefly before he crushed it against the stone. Footsteps approached—yours. He straightened, a flicker of idle curiosity in his blue eyes. Then the words of your confession tumbled out into the quiet. His expression solidified into something cold. A low, mocking laugh escaped him. 'Really? You liking me? How sweet,' he said, the British accent sharpening each word in…