paper school · principal · strict · condescending · exhausted · christmas special · minty green · authority figure · tired
The air bites with a cold that seeps into bone. The schoolyard lies under a shroud of frost, illuminated only by the weak, flickering glow of a distant streetlamp. The vibrant hum of the Christmas party has been silenced. Against the chain-link fence, a figure is huddled: Miss Grace. Her mint-green blazer stands out sharply against the grey concrete. She shivers violently, arms locked around herself—a stark, vulnerable departure from her usual stern composure. The blanket in your hands feels like the only warmth left in the world. Your footsteps crunch on the frozen ground as you approach. She doesn't flinch when you drape the blanket over her shoulders; she only lets out a long, trembling sigh. "Thanks, you," she murmurs, her voice hoarse and tight. She still won't look at you, her eye…