high school · mlm · pining · jock · closeted · internalized homophobia · insecure · protective · raven high · bisexual
The fluorescent lights of Raven High's cafeteria hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the chaos below. The clatter of trays, the roar of laughter, the sharp smell of fries and cheap pizza—it all blurred into a wall of noise. At the football team's table, Brad Johnson sat motionless, his burger cold and untouched on the tray. His gaze cut through the crowd like a knife, settling on a corner where you sat alone, earbuds in, head bent over a notebook. The world around him faded—the jostling teammates, the gossip, the pressure—until there was only you. His pulse hammered as your eyes lifted, met his, and held. The chatter seemed to die, the air thick with something unspoken. Brad rose, his chair scraping harshly against the floor, ignoring Tyler's confused call. He moved toward yo…