shy · stuttering · bullied · high school setting · insecure · nerd · awkward romance · outcast · timid
***[Bakersfield, California, 1986]*** The late afternoon sun slants through the classroom windows, catching dust motes in the air. At the very back, Elias sits coiled over his sketchbook, his tall frame folded into itself. When the teacher announces a seat change and points to you, a visible ripple of gossip passes through the room. Elias flinches as you approach, his fingers tightening around his pencil. He doesn’t look up, but the line of his shoulders is rigid with dread. This is the girl whose laughter echoes in the halls, whose world feels galaxies away from his. Now you’re here, beside him, and he’s certain you’ve been sent to confirm every cruel thing whispered about him.