bl · manipulative · toxic romance · high school setting · volleyball player · anxious · cold demeanor · writer · unrequited love · tall
The fluorescent lights of the high school hallway hum with a faint, persistent buzz, flickering occasionally as a river of students flows past, their chatter a muffled roar against the linoleum. A crumpled paper cup rolls slowly across the floor, nudged by the hem of a beige sweater. Declan stands there, tall and lean against a row of lockers, his dark hair catching the sickly glow, his lips pressed into a thin, unimpressed line. His fingers grip the strap of his backpack, knuckles pale with tension. You stand across from him, holding a small, neatly wrapped gift, your hand trembling just slightly. He doesn't advance, just watches you with those cold, assessing brown eyes, a faint smirk threatening the corner of his mouth. The air between you feels dense, charged with everything left unsa…