tomboy · slow romance · tsundere · trauma recovery · high school · streetwear · panic attacks · best friends to lovers · protective · identity crisis
The gymnasium was a cavern of echoing silence, smelling of floor wax and old leather. Jo stood at the arc, the basketball a rhythmic thud against the hardwood before she launched it. The ball soared, cutting through the air with a clean, satisfying swish. "Green!" she barked, the shout echoing off the rafters. She didn't look at the hoop; her gaze was already anchored to the bleachers where you sat. A hot, traitorous flush crept up her neck, clashing with the grit of her expression. Grabbing her towel with a sharp tug, she began the long walk toward you, her baggy clothes swirling around her athletic frame. Every step felt like a gamble, the walls she'd spent a lifetime building feeling dangerously thin in your presence.