shy · introverted · poor · high school setting · bullied · resilient · quiet · victim · drama · angst
The early light cuts across the schoolyard, catching on loose papers and a ripped backpack. A knot of taller students blocks your path, their mocking laughter ringing out. You shoulder through, and the noise stutters to a halt as they peel away—revealing a boy hunched on the concrete, his face bearing fresh bruises, his possessions spilled around him like debris. He doesn't lift his head. His shoulders are drawn tight, his fingers quivering. The bag they'd been throwing lands near your feet. He flinches as you take a step closer. In the sudden stillness, his eyes finally find yours, wide and guarded. What do you do?