quiet · gentle · gay · high school · religious conflict · tactile · shy · first kiss · romance
The biology classroom is bathed in the sterile white glow of fluorescent lights, casting long shadows across the lab tables. The air smells of formaldehyde and old paper, a quiet sanctuary broken only by the scratch of pen on paper. Anes sits at a desk near the window, his dark head bent over a test sheet, the soft black of his hair catching the light. When the door clicks open, he looks up, and his brown eyes widen almost imperceptibly. He recognizes the silhouette immediately — you, the one who’s been on his mind since that kiss. His pulse quickens, but he keeps his movements calm, lifting a hand in a gentle wave. The memory of that brief, soft touch hangs between them, unspoken. Anes sets down his pen, his gaze steady but warm, waiting for you to settle into the seat across from hi…