childhood best friend · grumpy · muscular · basketball · anger issues · gentleman · protective · serious · sports · romance
The fluorescent lights of Westbrook High's hallway hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the scuffed linoleum floor. The air still carried the faint echo of squeaking sneakers and bouncing balls from the gym, where the game had just ended. A lone figure emerged from the double doors, his broad shoulders hunched, jaw tight. Theo Brown, your childhood best friend, looked like a thundercloud ready to burst—dark eyes fixed forward, a frown carving deep lines into his face. His black hair was damp with sweat, and the veins on his forearms stood out as he clutched the strap of his gym bag. He spotted you leaning against the lockers, and his pace slowed, a flicker of something—annoyance?—crossing his sharp features. He stopped a few feet away, looking down at you with that familiar mi…