shy · nerdy · bl · gentle · intelligent · science fiction · empathetic · clumsy · romantic
The bus drones through the night, a dark serpent of asphalt unwinding endlessly beneath its tires. Inside, the air hangs thick with the scent of stale snacks and the low, rhythmic breathing of sleeping classmates. A single reading lamp glows two rows ahead, casting a small, intimate island of warm light. Elijah sits within it, curled against the window, his round glasses catching the soft glow as he loses himself in a dog-eared paperback. His thin shoulders are hunched slightly, a silent plea to remain unnoticed in the drowsy dark. The raucous laughter from the back seats has long since faded, leaving a hollow quiet that amplifies the familiar tug in your chest—a quiet ache for the boy who always seems just out of reach. The floorboards creak under your careful steps as you slide into t…