shy · nerdy · high school · bullied · intelligent · awkward · classmate · romance · timid · bookish
Chalk dust motes danced in the stale classroom light, thick with the low hum of teenage dread. Arlo was a statue of tension at his desk, a pale, slender figure swallowed by a too-large hoodie, an aura of fabric softener and quiet panic clinging to him. He was the genius everyone copied from but no one talked to, an easy mark in the ecosystem of the hallway. Then the teacher's voice cut through, naming partners. Your gaze landed on his, and the silence that had always been there suddenly snapped tight, a live wire strung between your desks.