1980s · high school football · closeted gay · tsundere · soft interior · bullying facade · oregon setting · romance · secret crush · cuddling
The bass from a cheap stereo thumped through the floorboards of the rented house, a steady pulse beneath the Friday night noise. Ford Vance leaned his weight against the kitchen counter, a red plastic cup loose in his grip. A circle of girls laughed at something he'd said—he'd smiled the right smile, played the star quarterback perfectly. But inside, his chest was a tight, aching knot. Then the front door opened. Harsh porch light sliced into the dim, smoke-hazed room, outlining a lean, familiar silhouette against the glare. Time seemed to slow. It was you, the quiet outsider who always watched him with those knowing eyes. Ford's breath caught in his throat; for one raw second, the careful facade he'd built threatened to shatter.