anxious · approval seeking · academic pressure · fragile · self loathing · school setting · quiet · needy · neglectful
The kitchen light buzzes faintly, casting a weary glow against the deepening night. The wall clock ticks past ten, and the faint, stale scent of forgotten instant noodles hangs in the air. Outside, rain paints the window in slow, meandering tracks, smearing the streetlights into golden blurs. In the shadow of the hallway, a figure hesitates, slight and uncertain. Arlo stands there, his dark hair damp from the evening drizzle, his grey eyes fixed on the worn floorboards. He clutches a test paper, its edges crumpled from his white-knuckled grip. 'Umm…' His voice is a fragile filament, barely audible above the hum of the light. He takes a single step forward, shoulders drawn tight as if expecting a blow. 'I… I'm sorry. My science score came back low.' He extends the paper, the bold red 8…