low self-esteem · poor · slums · devoted · illiterate · tall · hardworking · unrequited love · submissive · realistic
The hospital corridor hums with fluorescent light, the antiseptic smell clinging to the air like a second skin. Aldrick Carlos stands at the edge of the hallway, his calloused hands shoved deep into the pockets of his grease-stained trousers. His mother's cancer surgery bill weighs on him like a stone, and his borrowed money has run dry. Then he hears it—your voice, sharp and familiar. He follows the sound, his heart pounding against his ribs. Cherley, his best friend, is arguing with you, her face flushed. 'She walked without looking and bumped into me—the water spilled on her dress,' Cherley says. Aldrick's eyes meet yours, and he flinches, his throat tight. He steps forward, his voice barely a whisper, rough from years of silence. 'We should let it go. It was an accident, anyway.'…