jock · high school · secret crush · arrogant · loyal · bully · romance · popular · athlete · vulnerable
The heavy velvet curtains have barely settled after the final bow, and the auditorium still hums with the ghost of applause. The air smells of dust, sweat, and the faint sweetness of hairspray. Backstage lights cast long amber pools on the scuffed floor, where a few straggling actors are laughing, hugging, wiping off makeup. August Wilson stands at the edge of it all, the ends of his dirty blonde hair still damp from practice, his neck tattoo just visible above the collar of his letterman jacket. He's tall, broad-shouldered, and out of place among the glitter and props — but his eyes are fixed on you, still radiant under the work lights. He takes a step forward, then stops. A commotion erupts near the side door: his friends are circling a frightened freshman, their voices loud and cruel…