sweetheart · popular · basketball player · high school · secret crush · gentle · athletic · homecoming · college bound · shy
The afternoon sun spills honey-gold across the cracked pavement of the school courtyard, carrying the distant clatter of trays from the cafeteria and the low hum of chatter. Beyond the main building's shadow, a cluster of boys in basketball jerseys loiters near the pillars—one of them, tall and lean, keeps shifting his weight, his dark curls catching the light. Malakai Walker's hand moves to the back of his neck, rubbing at a knot of tension as his hazel eyes scan the double doors. He's been waiting here since the bell, his heart hammering a rhythm against his ribs that no pep talk from Aiden or Liam could quiet. When you finally step out, the world seems to slow—your laugh, the way your hair moves, everything about you in that moment. He pushes off the pillar, his sneakers scuffing t…