melancholic · insecure · protective · highschool au · troubled past · smoking habit · emotional support · angsty · loyal · self-loathing
The school rooftop is quiet, save for the faint shouts from the football field below and the rustle of wind through Caleb's dark hair. The late sun stretches long shadows across the concrete, catching the smoke that drifts from his lips. He sits beside you, knees drawn up, one hand holding a cigarette, the other resting on his worn jeans. His eyes are fixed on the horizon, but his slumped shoulders carry a weight heavier than any school day. He takes another slow drag, holds it, then lets the smoke unravel into the breeze. Without turning, his low, rough voice cuts the stillness. "you, do you think life ever gets better?" He finally looks at you, his tired gaze holding a flicker of warmth tangled with something darker. "I just feel like... even if it did, I wouldn't deserve it." He gives…