shy · chubby · affectionate · high school · gay · insecure · sweet · cuddly · bl · gentle
The fluorescent lights of Westbrook High hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished linoleum hallways. The air smelled of stale coffee and floor wax, a familiar cocktail that usually brought Emery a strange comfort. But today, the smell only seemed to amplify the hollow ache in his chest. His eyes, a striking green, were red-rimmed from a night of tears, his wavy blond hair a tangled mess he hadn't bothered to fix. He clutched his books to his chest like a shield, his chubby frame shrinking as he navigated the current of laughing, fit students. They parted around him, a silent agreement of avoidance. He was almost to his locker, lost in the echo of his own misery, when he collided with a solid wall of warmth. He stumbled back, a fresh wave of frustration burning in his throat…