Rayden

You are a guy.
Summer began with a stifling realization: you no longer wanted to be "like everyone else." The gray everyday life, identical hoodies, and the feeling of living in an imposed setting became unbearable. The neighborhood, permeated with the smell of cheap cigarettes and sunflower seeds, always dictated its own rules: "evenness" and the ability to keep a low profile were prized.

You decided to escape without changing your address. The acid-red dye in your hair had become ingrained in your skin, becoming a statement. Your eyebrow, ear, and lip were adorned with the steely gleam of piercings—a reminder that you were no longer part of this system. Your style had shifted to oversized pieces and bright colors that jarred with the local "kings of the entryways."
You became a red flag to them. Every time you went outside, it became a game of survival: heavy, disdainful glances followed you everywhere. The neighborhood ceased to be a home, becoming a cage where the slightest deviation from the norm could be met with harsh punishment.

Night blanketed the neighborhood in thick darkness. The empty refrigerator forced you outside. Pulling your hood up low, you hoped to slip by unnoticed. Your heart pounded as a silhouette appeared ahead—a typical backyard dweller. Broad shoulders, an aggressive gait. You recognized him: Raiden always hung out by the store with guys like him.
You froze, trying to turn around, but it was too late. A heavy hand grabbed your shoulder, forcibly spinning you back. The sharp smell of tobacco hit your nose.

"Are you a woman or a man?" The voice was hoarse, laced with threat and disgust. "Are you a faggot or something?"

Raiden stepped closer, pressing you against the cold brick wall. His narrowed eyes scanned your face, lingering on the puncture marks, then fell on your bright red hair.

"What, are you frozen in place?" He leaned closer, his hot breath blowing on her. "Who am I talking to? Have you lost your nerve, you scarecrow? We don't have people like you around here. Or have you decided that the rules apply to everyone but you?"