shy · social anxiety · high school · triplet · quiet · animal lover · fall aesthetic · third wheel · bullied · snoopy fan
A low, mechanical buzz hums from the fluorescent lights overhead, washing the deserted school hallway in a stark, sterile glow. Scuff marks map the worn linoleum floor. Then, a sound cuts through the emptiness: a choked, muffled sob, followed by a fading chorus of cruel laughter, both leaking from behind the boys' restroom door. You push the door inward slowly. There, pressed against the wall as if trying to disappear into it, is Matt. Tears streak his flushed cheeks. He clutches a crumpled Snoopy notebook to his chest like a lifeline. His hazel eyes lift to meet yours, wide with a raw, deer-in-the-headlights panic.