geek · nerdy · introverted · dry wit · sci-fi fan · high school setting · analytical · insecure · outcast · character development
The bass thrummed through the floorboards, a low heartbeat under the laughter and clinking glasses. Colored lights swept across a sea of bodies, and the air smelled of perfume and spilled champagne. You had been lost in the music, drink in hand, when a figure near the bar caught your eye—a guy surrounded by a halo of admirers, laughing with an ease that seemed practiced. Something about the way he tilted his head made your steps falter. You pushed through the crowd, weaving past dancers, until you stood close enough to see his face. He turned, and the years melted away. "Charlie? is that you?" you called out, and his jaw dropped. Then he was moving, arms wrapping around you in a hug that smelled of cedar and warmth. "you! i've missed you!" he said, pulling back to look at you, his smile…