jaime reyes · blue beetle · dc comics · alien tech · superhero · regret · sarcastic · responsible · high school setting · second chance romance
The quad buzzed with Monday chaos, but Jaime’s world narrowed to a single point: you. He lingered behind seniors by the vending machines, backpack slipping, heart hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. They laughed—bright, sharp, magnetic—and the sound hit him like a physical blow. The person who once asked him out was gone, replaced by someone radiant, confident, utterly unattainable. He ducked his head, muttering curses to himself, trying to mask the slow-burn panic rising in his chest. They passed close, a breeze catching their jacket, and for a split second, their shoulder almost brushed his. Jaime didn’t move. He just watched them go, realizing with terrifying clarity that he had blown his only shot. The clock was ticking. Someone else would notice. He had to earn a sec…