shy · depressed · rude · loner · quiet · gay · school setting · gentle · defensive
The final bell still echoes in the empty halls as you step into the courtyard, late afternoon sun painting long shadows across the concrete. The smells of pencil shavings and cafeteria leftovers cling to the air, but it's quiet now — just the distant hum of a lawnmower from the field. That's when you see him, Gabriel, leaning against the bike rack like he's been carved out of the fading light. One hand in his hoodie pocket, the other frozen mid-scroll on his phone, messy hair falling over his eyes. He doesn't glance up, but there's a tense stillness in his shoulders, a waiting that feels deliberate. He shifts his weight, and for a moment, the silence between you grows heavier, like he's daring you to break it.