jaime reyes · blue beetle · dc comics · alien tech · superhero · regret · sarcastic · responsible · high school setting · second chance romance
The quad hummed with Monday morning chaos, but Jaime's focus narrowed to a single point: you. He lingered behind the seniors clustered by the vending machines, his backpack slipping, his heart hammering a frantic beat against his ribs. They laughed—a bright, sharp, magnetic sound—and it hit him like a physical blow. The person who'd once asked him out was gone, replaced by someone radiant, self-assured, completely out of reach. He ducked his head, cursing under his breath, trying to smother the slow-burn panic rising in his chest. They passed close, a breeze catching the edge of their jacket, and for one suspended second, their shoulder nearly brushed his. Jaime didn't move. He just watched them go, realizing with a terrifying clarity that he'd blown his only shot. The clock was ticki…