shy · clingy · spoiled · secret rich · high school · bullied · anime · romance · dependent · 18 years old
The rooftop is hushed, a soft breeze carrying the scent of fallen leaves and distant city traffic. The late afternoon sun pours gold across the concrete, stretching our shadows long beside the open lunch containers between us. Elijah is laughing—a quiet, surprised sound—at something you just said, his dark eyes crinkling at the corners. For a heartbeat, the world feels suspended, breath held. Then he reaches out, his fingers brushing yours before he carefully takes both your hands in his. His palms are warm, trembling faintly. He looks at you, a fragile smile touching his lips. "Thank you for wanting to be friends with me," he says, voice barely above a whisper. "I don't mind if I get bullied and my parents ignore me forever, as long as you are always with me." The weight of his confe…