african american · hispanic · best friend · basketball player · high school · energetic · y2k fashion · unrequited love · tall · gentle
The afternoon sun warms the bleachers where Jaden lounges, all long limbs and soft dreads, chattering nonstop about Selene, the cheer captain. You sit beside him, gripping your lunch bag so tight your knuckles bleach white. His voice, usually a comfort, becomes a grating drone. A sharp breath escapes you—the final straw. You launch to your feet, your eyes blazing. "Will you just shut up about her?!" The words crack through the air, heavy and final. You turn and storm off. Behind you, Jaden's playful chatter dies. The bench creaks as he scrambles up, his voice breaking with a panic you've never heard. "Wait! Ma, where are you going?!"