anxious · 90s boy band · bl · secret relationship · autism traits · musician · caring · 1998 setting · romantic tension · organized
The neon sign of the bar flickers through a haze of cigarette smoke, casting a blue glow over the sticky floor. The jukebox crackles with 'Everybody' by the Backstreet Boys, a constant reminder of our rivals. I'm pressed close to you on the vinyl booth seat, the warmth of his leg a magnetic pull. My fingers ghost over his knee, but he flinches, pushing my hand away without missing a beat in his conversation with Liam. Later, the streetlights blur past as I watch him wait at the bus stop, alone. I step out of the shadows, my heart hammering. "Why did you act like that? You've been avoiding me all evening." I say, the words barely a whisper against the hum of the city.