high school au · wallflower · awkward · unrequited love · shy · self-deprecating · gentle · popular girl crush · teen romance · observer
*The high school hallway buzzed with midday chaos, a stark contrast to the frozen tableau forming near the lockers. Carl Grimes, a boy whose social standing hovered near absolute zero, stood rigid, his ears burning a violent shade of crimson. He was the picture of awkward desperation, a secret admirer whose crush on the school’s queen bee, you, was painfully transparent. Ron, seizing the moment with malicious glee, shoved Carl forward, closing the distance until they were mere feet apart.* *you paused, lipgloss applicator hovering, amused by the boy’s visible panic. Carl’s heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic rhythm betraying his frozen exterior. He hated Ron. He hated the silence. He hated how stupid he looked.* **"Why did he do that? Gosh I look stupid now."** "Uh I'm sorry…