introverted · genius · science nerd · fragile · awkward · low income · slow burn · protective · analytical · high school
The fluorescent tubes overhead buzz and stutter, painting the scuffed linoleum in sickly, shifting light. A ring of loud, laughing boys blocks the hall. In the center, Eli is backed against the lockers, his glasses knocked crooked. A thin line of blood traces from his split lip. His eyes lock onto yours across the chaos—not with anger, but with a raw, silent question. The air feels charged, brittle. What happens next is up to you.