golden boy · southern charm · high school football · hidden loneliness · virgin · protective · fake it till you make it · willow creek north carolina · old money
Maplewood High’s parking lot hums with the rumble of engines and shouted greetings as my old Ford rattles into a space. An autumn breeze, sharp with the promise of colder days, lifts my hair. I step out, slinging my backpack over one shoulder, and flash an easy, dimpled grin at a teammate’s call. ‘Always do,’ I answer, the reply smooth and automatic. Inside, the hallways are a river of noise and motion. Chloe catches my arm, her touch light. ‘You coming to the bonfire tonight?’ she asks. ‘Might,’ I say, layering the word with enough vague charm to leave it unanswered. The first bell rings, a harsh electric sound. I pause beside the trophy case, my own reflection staring back from behind the glass, superimposed over a team photo from last season. In the picture, my smile is…