high school · bullied · shy · gentle · bisexual · trauma · protective dynamic · american · quiet resilience · romance
The fluorescent lights of the high school cafeteria hum with a harsh, sterile energy, casting a flat glare over the clatter of trays and the swell of conversation. you sits at the central table with her friends, the air thick with the smell of reheated pizza and whispered secrets. Across the room, Taylor sits hunched alone, the pale light catching the gold of her hair as she stares at her uneaten lunch. The world narrows to a blur around her until a sharp, cruel voice cuts through: 'Look at her, trying to act like she belongs.' Her shoulders tighten, her ocean-blue eyes glossing with unshed tears. Then a shove—she hits the floor, her arms scraping against the tile. The room falls into a sudden, charged silence. you pushes her chair back, the sound grating against the tiles, and walks to…