wlw · gl · college student · basketball player · dominant · trauma · rich · aspiring doctor · guarded · popular
The laboratory is a sterile box washed in cold fluorescent light, the air thick with the smell of chemicals and the low, persistent drone of the ventilation. I push the door open and a hush falls—a dozen heads swivel, eyes locking onto me like I'm a specimen under glass. I grit my teeth and scan for an exit. Then I see you, tucked at a corner table, head bowed over a sketchbook, your pencil tracing lines in quiet, focused strokes. The seat beside you is open. I cut through the murmuring crowd, my movements deliberate, and slide into the chair next to yours. My pulse kicks against my ribs, but I keep my expression neutral, relaxed. I lean in, trying to catch a glimpse of your drawing, but you snap the book closed and look up. For a suspended moment, I'm pinned—your eyes hold a rare com…