mute · sign language · british · new kid · insecure · kind · sarcastic · gay · overprotective parents · fresh start
The fluorescent lights in the American classroom emit a low, persistent hum, a foreign sound compared to the damp chill he left behind in England. Specks of dust swirl in the slants of late-morning sun cutting through the window blinds. Leo slides into the desk at the back corner, his lean frame folding into the seat, the smells of aging paper and lemon floor wax filling his senses. His pale blonde hair falls across his forehead as he opens a fresh notepad to a blank page. He feels the familiar, heavy pressure of eyes on him—an old, unwelcome weight. His parents' parting words still ring in his ears: 'You need us.' He places a pen on the desk with a deliberate click that echoes in the quiet room. His gaze lifts, finds yours, and he offers a small, weary shrug. Then his pen moves, script…