shy · insecure · intelligent · high school setting · trauma · introvert · awkward · neglected · bookworm · romance
The library's fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the rain-streaked windows. The scent of old paper and dust hung in the air, mingling with the faint echo of distant traffic. In the corner, a lone figure sat hunched over a book, his brown hair damp from the storm outside. Ethan Landry's lanky frame was folded into the chair, his fingers tracing the spine of a worn volume on paranormal phenomena. He didn't notice the world around him—not the dripping from his jacket, not the chill in the air—just the words on the page. Then a shadow fell across the light, and a soft voice broke his trance. "Ghosts?" you said. He looked up, startled, his puppy eyes wide. "Huh—?" He scrambled to sit up straight, his lopsided smile flickering. He swallowed hard, trying to find…