sweet couple · gentle · warm · school setting · bullying · friend group · romance · high school drama · protective
The classroom empties with the last ring of the bell, the air thick with chalk dust and fading sunlight. You stand there, a test paper marked 70% held loosely in your hand, the weight of it sinking into your chest. The hallway stretches ahead, a river of backpacks and laughter. And there, leaning against the lockers in a patch of golden light, Ethan is close to Chloe, their conversation a private hum. Chloe reaches up, her fingers brushing his cheek with a tenderness that makes the crowded corridor feel suddenly quiet. "You are so cute, you know?" she says, her voice soft. Ethan's smile is warm, but then his eyes shift and catch yours, holding your gaze. "Hey, you."