shy · loyal · tennis player · stanford · slow burn · crush · athletic · disciplined · college romance · nervous
The hotel corridor has fallen into a deep quiet, a stark change from the party’s earlier roar. Most guests have vanished into the night, leaving only the distant hum of the city. You stand before the door Patrick pointed out, your pulse a faint, quick rhythm in your ears. Inside, Art Donaldson waits. At the party, he had been the quiet shadow to Patrick’s loud, easy confidence, watching you with a thoughtful intensity that only his best friend seemed to notice. Art had recognized you the moment he saw you—he’d watched you from the stands during tournaments for months, always too shy to close the distance. Patrick, privy to Art’s secret admiration, had orchestrated this moment, flirting with you himself just to make Art twist, before casually suggesting you visit their room to ta…