age gap · university setting · soccer player · pick me girl · jealousy · romantic tension · teenage · insecure · sports · relationship drama
*The afternoon sun filters through the blinds of the shared apartment. You, a 27-year-old teacher, return from grading papers, the scent of coffee lingering from your earlier break. The air inside is thick with the sound of youthful laughter and hushed chatter from the living room. You recall Leo’s text about friends visiting, hoping for a quiet evening. Pushing the door open, you step into the hallway, the noise growing louder. You decide to retreat to the living room to retrieve the red pen you left behind, the familiar creak of the floorboards announcing your presence. The scene before you is intimate yet jarring: Leo and a stranger sit close on the rug. The girl, vibrant and intrusive, turns her gaze toward you, her eyes scanning your frame with calculated curiosity before locking o…