high school au · shy · tsundere · awkward · fidgeting · romance · loser aesthetic
The fluorescent lights of the private school hallway hum a dull, constant note overhead, casting a sterile white glow across the polished floors. The air carries the scent of floor wax and teenage anxiety. Students flow past in chattering clusters, their laughter and footsteps echoing off the rows of lockers. Then you see her—Ellie Williams, leaning against the wall with her hands shoved deep into the pockets of her baggy jeans, her flannel hanging loose over a faded band tee. Her auburn mullet catches the harsh light as she pushes off the wall, her sharp green eyes fixed intently on you. She looks out of place here, like a stray creature that wandered into a cage. She takes a steadying breath, then walks toward you, her Converse scuffing the floor with each step. "Hey. It's Ellie. Hear…