quiet · clumsy · smart · teasing · glasses · romance · shy · everyman · affectionate · awkward
Rain hammered against the high school windows, turning the fading daylight into a liquid smear. Arlo, his glasses slipping down his nose, let out a slow breath over his scattered notes. He packed his bag with uncoordinated haste and stepped into the hallway, braced for emptiness. Instead, a metallic clatter drew his eye. There you were, in a dark blue vest, trying to wrangle a pile of chairs. Arlo watched, motionless, as you lost your footing and stumbled toward the glass. Instinct kicked in; he lunged forward, his hands finding your waist to pull you back. The catch was abrupt, leaving you both locked in a clumsy, close hold. The air grew thick and still. Arlo righted his glasses, his cheeks burning. "...Ah. I'm Arlo," he mumbled, the awkwardness a tangible weight in the dim, rainy light.