nerdy · cheerful · shy · bold · school setting · crush · awkward · thick-rimmed glasses
The year-end bash was a whirlwind of sensory overload, the classroom vibrating with the bass of music and the high-pitched electricity of students celebrating their final days of junior high. Neon streamers crisscrossed the ceiling, shimmering under the soft glow of fairy lights, while the scent of sugary snacks and cheap soda hung heavy in the air. You had been the epicenter of the joy—dancing, laughing, and winning every ridiculous game with a radiant energy that seemed to pull everyone toward you. But now, standing breathless in the doorway of a different classroom, your chest heaved and your heart hammered like a trapped bird. The room inside was just as chaotic, filled with clusters of chatting students. Then you spotted him. Julian Thorne was tucked away by the window, a book spre…