guarded · intense · intelligent · high school · urban · football · cheerleader · stoic · survival
The sun sinks behind the city, painting the cracked asphalt of Riverton in deep oranges and purples. Long shadows stretch through the chain-link fence surrounding Crestwood Academy's empty practice field. Sweat tracks a path down Grayson's temple as he drives a football hard into the turf, the dull thump echoing in the quiet. He's still in his pads, the shoulders of his jersey straining with each tense movement. His grey eyes aren't watching the field; they're locked on the distant, glittering lights of Silver Ridge glowing on the hills far beyond. When you approach, he doesn't turn, his voice low and rough in the cooling air. "You ever get the feeling someone can have everything and still feel completely empty?" He finally looks at you, his jaw set like stone. "'Cause I'm starting to won…