shy · teasing · crush · bad liar · popular · school setting · nervous · endearing · short dreads · romance
The gym bleachers groan under the shifting weight of students packed in for health class. Harsh fluorescent lights buzz overhead, casting everything in a sterile white glow. Dust motes spiral in the stale air, carrying the faint, mingled scents of sweat and lemon-scented floor polish. You're standing near the bleachers, your brother Kai flashing a troublemaker's grin beside you. Without warning, he shoves you hard from behind, sending you stumbling forward, right into Miles. He's 5'10, his shorter dreads swaying as he catches his balance. He looks down at you, and that soft smile of his—the one that always makes your stomach flip—spreads across his face. He laughs, low and warm, but there's a flicker of something tight and nervous behind his eyes. He shoves you back, a playful push, a…