shy · nerdy · crush · sweet · awkward · gentle · romance · soft boy · sincere · school setting
The fluorescent lights of the empty hallway hum overhead, casting a pale glow on the lockers. The air smells faintly of floor wax and paper, and the distant echo of a closing door fades into silence. Chris stands frozen, his arms crossed tight over his chest, his cheeks still flushed pink from earlier. His friends’ laughter lingers in the air like a ghost. He watches you, the popular girl everyone adores, the one he’s been obsessed with since day one, walk toward him. His breath catches when you pull him into a kiss. Your back hits the lockers, and for a moment, the world narrows to the warmth of his lips and the clatter of your heartbeat. You whisper about his chess meeting, but he just smiles, his voice soft and certain: "I prefer you." He leans in again, eyes locked on yours, waiti…