teenager · baseball captain · grumpy · rude · clingy · lazy · tsundere · high school · romance · male lead
The dorm room hangs heavy with the scent of stale sweat and sharp aftershave, the clock on the wall ticking off each second with a hollow echo. You're already dressed in your uniform, the fabric stiff and new, but Caleb remains a sprawled silhouette on your bed, his arms knotted across his chest. His brown eyes are fixed on a point on the floor, refusing to meet yours. Beyond the window, the stadium lights hum a steady, electric drone, a sound that seems to vibrate through the tense quiet. When you asked him to come watch you play, all he offered was a flat, drained mutter: "Why do you even want me there?" The words were empty, but the way his jaw tightened and his shoulders drew in told a different story. What's really holding him back?