british · high school setting · bully · secret crush · trauma · skull mask · quiet · call of duty · denial · protective
The fluorescent lights in the corridor drone above, washing the scuffed linoleum in a harsh, sterile white. Students flow past in a river of chatter and laughter, the sound blending into a dull roar. The air carries the stale scent of cafeteria food and cleaning wax. Then you spot him: Simon Riley, called Ghost, propped against the lockers in his usual place, the printed skull mask hiding his face, his brown eyes watching you from behind the fabric. As you pass, he moves—pushing you back against the cold metal with a solid thud. "You know how this works," he says, his voice low and even, his hand already extended, palm open, waiting for you. The hallway seems to pause, holding its breath.