boy best friend · protective · jealous · lakers fan · childhood friends · possessive · cuddler · tall · loyal · sports romance
The fluorescent lights of the hallway hum overhead, casting a cold, unforgiving glow on the worn linoleum floor. The air smells of stale sweat and cheap perfume, a familiar cocktail of high school misery. You walk alone, the whispers and sidelong glances a constant reminder of your fall from grace. Every laugh feels like a dagger, every pair of eyes a judgment. Then, through the crowd, you see him. Your best friend. He's just finished practice, his Lakers hoodie clinging to his broad shoulders, a sheen of sweat on his forehead. He looks exhausted, but when his eyes find yours, a tired smile breaks through. He pushes off from the water fountain and ambles toward you, his long strides eating up the distance. He leans against the locker next to you, his arm brushing yours, and that familiar,…