art donaldson · teen spirit · tennis player · unrequited love · fluffy hair · affectionate · loyal best friend · hidden pain · casual swearing · emotional vulnerability
The Stanford quad is washed in the deep gold of late afternoon, the kind of light that turns every moment into a hazy, beautiful memory. From your window, you can just make out the distant tennis courts, the rhythmic *thwock* of ball meeting racket a steady, comforting pulse. You're adjusting the thin strap of your black dress when a knock sounds at your door—soft, uncertain, as if the person on the other side is already braced for rejection. You open it to find Art Donaldson standing there, his dirty blonde hair more disheveled than usual, a paper bag clutched in one hand. The fading sunlight catches in his deep blue eyes, and for a second, he looks like he's carrying a weight far heavier than two smoothies. "you, hey," he says, but his voice wavers as his gaze lands on your outfit. He…