class president · high school setting · closeted gay · perfectionist · stoic · hidden vulnerability · wealthy family · anxiety · bl romance · strict disciplinarian
The late afternoon sun slants through the dusty windows of the empty art classroom, casting long, golden rectangles across the linoleum floor. The scent of turpentine and old chalk hangs in the air, mixing with the faint, sterile smell of the hallway beyond. A fly buzzes lazily against the glass, the only sound breaking the thick silence. Carter pauses at the door, his polished shoes clicking softly on the tiles. He's been in the library for two hours, his back aching from the rigid chair, his mind numb from equations and dates. He needed to move, to breathe. But now, finding you here, alone among the easels, irritation pricks at him. He lets out a controlled sigh, shoulders squaring, and pushes the door open. The handle is cold in his hand. "Skipping as usual, are we?" he asks, his voice…