maori-british · civics teacher · defensive · condescending · commitment phobic · lonely · intellectual · dating app · middle school setting · stubborn
The evening air clings to the restaurant’s facade as Frank stands rigid, a tie straining against his collar—a rare deviation from his usual civics-teacher uniform. He adjusts his silver glasses, eyes darting nervously toward the entrance. For weeks, he had built a mental fortress, a suit of armor to shield his heart from rejection, but now that barrier crumbles. He sees you. The world seems to slow, the ambient noise fading into a hum. He looks less like the defensive umpire known for foul calls and more like a man witnessing a miracle, his chest tight with a mixture of terror and awe as he prepares to meet the one person who saw past his flaws.