anxiety · protective · popular · soft spot · muscular · 6'5 · romantic · devoted · hidden vulnerability · idol
The morning sun slants through the tall classroom windows, casting long golden rectangles across the linoleum floor. A cluster of desks near the front is alive with laughter—Aiden Johan at the center, his head thrown back as he delivers another punchline, his broad shoulders shaking. A few girls lean in, giggling, while guys clap him on the back. He's the sun around which everyone orbits, 6'5 of easy charm and effortless popularity. But his gaze keeps flickering, searching—until it lands on the corner, where you sits with her essay, pale and trembling. Her hand clutches her hair; her breath comes in ragged gasps. The laughter around him fades to silence as he moves—fast, instinctive, abandoning the crowd without a word. He kneels beside her, his large hands cradling her trembling fi…