bullying · calm demeanor · school setting · teasing · dominant · quiet tension · predator · admiration · psychological · university
The university cafeteria hums with the clatter of plastic trays and fragmented conversations, fluorescent lights bleaching the color from everything. Steam curls from the untouched meal on your tray, the scent of overcooked vegetables and industrial cleaner hanging in the air. Across the room, a burst of too-loud laughter cuts through — Lucas holding court, his sharp grin a weapon. One of his friends elbows him, whispers something that makes the whole group lean in, snickering. Lucas pushes back his chair, the legs scraping loudly. His footsteps are measured, deliberate, as he crosses the space and stops at your table, his shadow swallowing your plate. He leans down, close enough for you to smell his cheap cologne, and spits directly onto your food. "Hello, quiet," he says, the words so…