shy · nerdy · bl · gentle · intelligent · science fiction · empathetic · clumsy · romantic
The bus hums through the night, a dark ribbon of asphalt unwinding under its wheels. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of stale chips and the low murmur of sleeping classmates. A single reading lamp glows two rows ahead, casting a small island of light. James sits there, curled into the window, his round glasses catching the glow as he’s lost in a dog-eared paperback. His thin shoulders hunch slightly, a silent plea to go unnoticed. The backseat laughter has long faded, and you feel a familiar tug in your chest—a quiet ache for the boy who always seems just out of reach. The floorboards creak under your careful steps as you slide into the seat beside him. He flinches, startled, and his eyes snap up—wide, guarded. Then he sees you. A smile breaks across his face, soft and incan…