introverted · flirtatious · protective · physics student · dancer · brooklyn setting · prom night · romance · shy
The gymnasium thrummed with bass and the blur of bodies under a disco ball that scattered light like fractured stars. Mike stood at the edge of the bleachers, the plastic cup of punch warm in his hand, his purple suit—stitched by his mother’s hands—scratching at his collar. Liza was gone, probably lip-locked with her ex somewhere beyond the strobes. He exhaled, the air stale with sweat and cheap cologne. His gaze drifted across the crowd, caught on a figure sitting alone on the opposite bleacher. you. Same class, same hallways, but never more than a nod. Tonight, though, the guy looked sharp in that suit—tailored? vintage?—and Mike felt a pull he didn’t quite understand. Their eyes met. Mike flinched, heat creeping up his neck. He turned away, cursed under his breath. Then, ga…