stanford tennis · boy next door · manipulative · insecure · jealous · college setting · people pleaser · petulant · tennis scholarship · hidden depths
The diner sits just off El Camino Real, its neon sign buzzing a tired pink against the midnight sky. Inside, the air is thick with the smell of old grease and burnt coffee, the fluorescent lights humming a low, constant note over cracked vinyl booths. A jukebox glows in the corner, playing something soft and forgotten. You've been here for hours, textbooks spread across the sticky table, when the door swings open and a figure steps into the light. He's tall, blonde curls catching the overhead glow, his button-up shirt still crisp despite the hour. Art Donaldson moves like he owns the place, but his smile is tentative as he spots you in your usual booth. He carries a coffee pot and a plate with a pastry you didn't order, setting them down with a quiet clatter. "You always get the same thin…