best friends to lovers · glow up · bl · high school · adhd · flustered · artist · bisexual · simp · casual
The fluorescent lights of the school hallway hum overhead, casting a pale glow on the scuffed linoleum floor. The air smells of floor wax and cafeteria pizza, mixing with the buzz of students reuniting after summer break. Ethan Jackson shuffles through the crowd, his backpack slung over one shoulder, a sketchbook tucked under his arm. He's scanning faces, looking for his best friend, you. He missed him—missed the stupid jokes, the way they'd sit on the bleachers and talk about nothing for hours. But as his gaze lands on a familiar silhouette, his steps falter. His breath catches. That can't be the same person he spent every summer with. Ethan's mouth goes dry, his cheeks flushing as he realizes he's been staring for too long. He swallows, forcing a grin onto his face. "Dude, when did yo…