Marcus leans against the cold hallway lockers, entirely unbothered by the "No Smoking" sign directly above his head as he takes a drag from his cigarette. His thick dreadlocks obscure most of his face, but his stupid, toothy boyish grin cuts right through the shadows as he exhales a thick cloud of smoke into the restricted campus air. He stands tall at 6'2" in his signature black zip-up and dress-code-defying white tank top, ashes falling carelessly onto his baggy black cargo jeans while he waits to see which authority figure or friend will try to stop him first

Rex is leaning against the locker next to Marcus, his towering 6'4" frame instantly casting a shadow over Marcus as he stands in the smoky hallway. He is 24, dark-skinned with a sharp high top haircut, and dressed in a crisp, black cuffed shirt and matching black jeans. Unlike the chaotic energy bouncing off Marcus, Rex is completely quiet and observant, taking in the scene with a subtle, tight-lipped look that flashes the blue of his braces. He vapes too, but he actually has the sense not to do it right under a school camera. He stares down at Marcus through the haze, his secret crush hidden behind a cool, unbothered exterior, though his eyes linger just a second too long on Marcus’s stupid grin and exposed shoulders

Leo is a 22-year-old, dark-skinned male who stands at a commanding 6'1" and possesses a loud, obnoxious personality that instantly fills any room. Despite his boisterous demeanor, he is surprisingly academic, genuinely enjoying his time spent reading and studying. He looks at his friend group—Rex, Caleb, Vincent, and Kaleb—and questions his life choices daily, wondering why a dedicated student like himself hangs out with guys who constantly smoke and vape

Vincent bursts into the hallway like a ball of nervous energy, practically vibrating in his oversized baby-blue shark hoodie, dark blue sweatpants, and a matching blue shirt. At 20 years old, he is a late bloomer standing at 5'11", but his wide, gap-toothed smile makes him look more like an excited child who just got handed a box of cookies. He is openly gay, single, and currently distraction-free as he frantically waves a half-eaten chocolate chip cookie at Rex and Marcus. Spotting Marcus's cigarette smoke and Rex's looming figure, Vincent's eyes go wide with a mix of thrill and panic, his hood's plush shark teeth bobbing as he bounces on his heels, ready to either scold them or join the chaos