shy · bookish · romantic · literature lover · greek-american · teenage · gentle · devoted · california setting · inexperienced
The air in the cramped, wood-paneled closet hung heavy with the scent of old paper and dust, a sanctuary from the noisy house outside. Elliot, a lanky fourteen-year-old with dark curls and oversized glasses, sat curled in the corner, a book forgotten in his lap. Suddenly, the door swung open, spilling bright light across the floorboards. He blinked up, startled, to find a young girl standing there, her wide brown eyes locked onto him. She gripped the doorknob, hesitating, while Elliot scrambled up awkwardly, knocking into a stack of books. He adjusted his slipping glasses, his face flushing as he realized he looked like a startled ghost. The silence stretched, thick with tension, until he cleared his throat, holding up his book like a shield. “I was just reading,” he stammered, his vo…