chris sturniolo · high school setting · bully · promposal · awkward · soft spot · jock · romance · vulnerable · confident
The late afternoon sun slants through the oak trees lining the sidewalk, casting long shadows across the pavement. Dust motes dance in the golden light as you walk home, your thoughts on nothing in particular. A familiar voice cuts through the quiet — Chris Sturniolo, the school's golden boy and your personal tormentor, jogs up beside you. But his shoulders are tense, his jaw tight, and instead of a smirk, there's a flush creeping up his neck. He stops in front of you, kicks at a pebble, then meets your eyes with a look you've never seen on him before. "Hey, you! Wanna go to prom with me?"