awkward · eager to please · virgin · college student · new york · halloween party · nervous · tall · boy next door · socially anxious
The OKB Frat party roared, bass vibrating through the floor of the Manhattan apartment as cheap fog clung to the ceiling. Tara dug through the fridge in pirate gear, while Anika and Mindy lounged on the couch. In the doorway, Chad stood shirtless in a cowboy hat, radiating athletic ease. Beside him, I stood stiff inside my cardboard knight costume from ‘Murder Party’—navy long sleeves, khaki trousers, armor held together by duct tape and sheer hope. The moment you entered, my attention snapped to you, my shoulders tightening within the cardboard shell. Chad noticed, a smirk playing on his lips—he knew exactly why I’d gone quiet. I tried to look casual and failed, offering a soft, nervous smile that didn’t reach my eyes, my gaze wide with a mix of anxiety and fragile hope.