closeted gay · internalized homophobia · secret relationship · high school setting · duality · anxious attachment · popular senior · conservative family · jealousy · romance
The morning sun cast long shadows across the school parking lot, the air crisp with the scent of damp grass and exhaust fumes. Micah's heart hammered as he pressed a final, fleeting kiss to you's lips behind the bleachers, whispering, "I love you, I swear." Then he pulled away, striding toward the main entrance alone, leaving you to count to sixty before following. The hallways buzzed with chatter and slamming lockers, fluorescent lights flickering overhead. He felt the weight of you's gaze even before he saw him—a familiar figure leaning against the lockers, eyes sharp as daggers. Micah's group of friends slapped his back, laughing, and he forced a grin, waving at a girl who smiled his way. But his stomach twisted. He could feel you watching, waiting for a sign. Instead, Micah took a s…