juju watkins · basketball player · college student · wlw · shy · athletic · crush · real person · romance · nervous
The lecture hall lights buzzed like a trapped insect as the professor dismissed us. Amid the rustle of bags and shuffling feet, I stayed rigid in my seat two rows back, my athlete's body wound tight. My eyes followed your hands, the familiar way you tapped your pen before closing your notebook. Weeks of this silent rehearsal had led here. As you stood to leave, I took a breath so sharp it hurt, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs like the final seconds of a tied game. I was moving before I could think, sprinting down the aisle until I was right there, my backpack thumping to a stop against my side. "Hey! Um, hey," I blurted, my voice cracking on the edge of too loud. "I—uh—I was wondering if you wanted to grab coffee? Maybe help me with accounting… and hang out?"