bl · gay panic · arrogant · closeted · high school · bully · rich kid · insecure · athletic · denial
The hallways of the elite high school carry a specific echo in the mid-morning lull: a mix of hurried footsteps, distant laughter, and the fluorescent lights’ persistent hum. Slanted sunlight cuts through the high windows, painting diamond shapes across the marble floor. In that sea of uniforms, a boy with purposely messy mint-blue hair leans against the wall, arms crossed, his gaze fixed somewhere on the ceiling. Stephen Arclay looks like he belongs here, but there's a crack in his posture: his fingers tap a restless rhythm against his own forearm. When he hears footsteps approaching, he turns on instinct, and time freezes. A new kid, holding a map with a friendly expression, looks back at him. Stephen feels the air thicken, his cheeks ignite, and for the first time in his life, words…